Narrative
US 70. Tested as MSUS 70, US 70 resulted from a cross made in 1979 at Beltsville between Florida selection 76-802 (FL 73-1965 x FL 73-780) and Louisiana selection 2556. Seedlings from the cross were inoculated in 1980 at Poplarville with C. fragariae isolates CF-1, CF-4, FLA-2, MS-9, and FLA-1. Resistant seedlings were grown at Poplarville, and US 70 was selected in 1981. US 70 was used by Smith and Black (1990) as a differentiating cultivar to separate races of C. fragariae and C. acutatum. In Mississippi hill culture trials,US 70 produced as well as the standard cultivar Tangi in 1990 and 1991, as well as 'Chandler' in 1990, and better than 'Chandler' during the abbreviated 1991 season. US 70 fruit were later than and the same size as 'Tangi' fruit in 1990, but ripened with and were larger than those from 'Tangi' in 1991. US 70 fruit ripened with and were smaller than 'Chandler' fruit in 1990, but they ripened with and were larger than 'Chandler' in 1991.The outstanding features of US 70 are high resistance levels to leaf spot [Mycosphaerella fragariae (Tul.) Lindau], leafscorch [Diplocarpon earliana (Ell. and Ev.) Wolf], powdery mildew [Sphaerotheca nurcularis (Wallr. ex Fr.) Jacz. f. sp.fragariae], anthracnose crown rot, and two-spotted mites (Tetranychus urticae Koch); good fruit quality; desirable, bright red, and large fruit; and an extended harvest season.US 70 plants are medium-sized and compact, with medium-green leaves and three leaflets of equal size. Central leaflets curve down at the tips, and side leaflets curve up at the margins. Leaf serrations are rounded but pointed at the tip. Veins on the leaf underside are prominent, and leaf petioles are light green and pubescent. Fruit of US 70 have a shouldered wedge shape with a blunt tip; narrow, pointed fruit cap sepals that are partially reflexed at maturity; and slightly raised, yellow achenes. US 70 fruit are firm fleshed, light pink internally, and juicy. They have a pleasant flavor that we judge to be sweet and acidic.US 70 transmitted anthracnose resistance to 80% of its several progenies, and it likely will be a suitable disease-resistant parent for either winter or early spring hill culture production, or mid- to late spring matted row production. US 70 has been grown successfully at Poplarville, Beltsville, and Bonita Springs, Fla.
Barbara Smith selections, Mississippi