The University of California, Davis has developed two new strawberry varieties, providing growers with even more options. Director of the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program, Professor Steve Knapp said the new cultivars were developed to offer high-quality fruit from late summer through fall. The new varieties UCD Finn and UCD Mojo are described as being “extreme day neutral.” That quality will allow them to be planted in the summer and should perform particularly well in coastal climates from Santa Maria south.
The cultivars were developed as an alternative to Portola. That variety is harvested in the fall and winter and has been popular with growers due to its high yield. However, consumers have indicated a lack of flavor in the variety. Finn and Mojo strawberries were designed to maintain the high level of yield of Portola but also produce more flavorful fruit. The new varieties are just the latest to be released by UC Davis, with a total of seven new varieties being released in the last 18 months.
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