10 April 2020.
Maryland, United States
Comment: The Agricultural Research Service announces the release to nurseries and propagators of ‘Cordial’, a late-season, disease-resistant, spring-fruiting strawberry cultivar. ‘Cordial’, tested as B2360, was derived from a cross pollination of B1893 by B1805, planned in 2010 by Dr. Kim Lewers and executed in 2011 by Mr. John Enns. ‘Cordial’ was selected in a Beltsville, MD, seedling field in a plasticulture production system in Spring, 2013, by Dr. Kim Lewers and Mr. John Enns. ‘Cordial’ was further evaluated in plasticulture production by Dr. Kim Lewers and Mr. John Enns at Beltsville in 2014 observation plots and in annual replicated evaluations starting in 2015. ‘Cordial’ is expected to be best adapted to the mid-Atlantic and northeastern U.S. and adjacent areas.
‘Cordial’ fruit are large and attractive, and have very good flavor. The name, ‘Cordial’, is in reference to the flavor being “friendly”, and not tart, even in rain, when strawberry sugar content generally is lower, and fruit can taste too tart. ‘Cordial’ fruit are firm and tough enough for handling, but have a good mouth feel and are juicy. ‘Cordial’ has consistently shown high yields and very low field rot in annual plasticulture at Beltsville, with no fumigation or fungicides. Like previous cultivars from USDA-ARS at Beltsville, ‘Cordial’ is resistant to anthracnose fruit rot caused by Colletotrichum species present in Beltsville fields. ‘Cordial’ has regularly performed better than most other cultivars in storage, lasting up to two weeks with little or no rot, and maintaining good appearance, similar to that of ‘Keepsake’.
Cordial’ fruiting season in plasticulture at Beltsville is one week later than ‘Allstar’. ‘Cordial’ fruit have much better rain tolerance than ‘Allstar’, showing none of the skin splitting that ‘Allstar’ fruit have shown in recent high-rainfall years, and was noted as appearing dry, even when it was harvested in the rain. ‘Cordial’s average yield was between 11% and 43% greater than that of ‘Allstar’. ‘Cordial’ fruit are about twice the size of ‘Allstar’ fruit and retain size better through the season. The percent soluble solids content of ‘Cordial’ fruit, a measure of sweetness, was slightly higher than that of ‘Allstar’, while the pH, a measure of tartness, was slightly lower.
A plant patent for ‘Cordial’ has been applied for and is pending. Licensing information can be obtained through the USDA-ARS Office of Technology Transfer. The USDA-ARS does not sell plants. In addition, genetic material of this release has been deposited in the National Plant Germplasm System where it will be available for research purposes, including development of new cultivars. When this germplasm contributes to the development of a new cultivar, hybrid, or germplasm, it is requested that appropriate recognition be given to the source.
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