UK: Early start for 'Vibrant' strawberry
Demand for early season UK strawberries is being fulfilled in part by Vibrant, a recent release from the East Malling Research breeding programme. Bred by David Simpson and Adam Whitehouse, Vibrant was trialled and released for commercial production by Meiosis Limited in 2011.
Vibrant tray plants, planted under polytunnels in to second-hand coir bags in early January started harvest the first week in May this year on Edward Vinson Ltd’s site in Kent. Sean Figgis of Edward Vinson Ltd, commented that Vibrant was at least 10 days ahead of a similar crop of Elsanta on the same site. He expected a yield of circa 400gms from about 4 trusses but it was noted that many plants had produced between 5-6 trusses. Fruit trusses were long and strong, providing well displayed fruit to the pickers. Flowers were large and the resulting fruit was weighing-in at circa 40g.
In the 2011/12 variety trial funded by the HDC, Vibrant was noted for its high proportion of large fruit with 65% making the 35mm+ size category compared to just 51% of Elsanta berries in the same trial. The large, bold fruit in combination with the good fruit display was producing a pick in the region of 20p per kg cheaper than Elsanta.
Vibrant also has the advantage of producing little if any fruit waste. With ever increasing pest problems some of which are associated with crop waste left in the field to decay, it is not surprising that varieties producing mainly Class 1 fruit are increasingly in demand. Most of the fruit Vibrant produces meets the Class 1 specification, leading to little, if any waste remaining in the field. It is exceptional for Vibrant to produce less than 90% of fruit in the Class 1 category, this high Class 1 percentage is unusual for an early variety, where mishapen fruit can be a major problem.
At Edward Vinson Ltd the Vibrant crop will remain in place to take a second harvest later in the season to assess the usefulness of its double-cropping ability. The plants will then be over-wintered and a second year harvest taken in 2014. In 2011 in commercial production in Essex the first fruit from Vibrant was harvested on the 22nd April and produced in excess of 22 tonnes per hectare, which was sold at a premium price. Picking of the second crop then started in the first week of July, some 6 weeks after the first crop finished harvesting. This second crop continued to yield good quality fruit until the finish of harvest in early September.
Elegance, a variety also from the EMR breeding programme with excellent quality fruit, crops later in the season making it a complimentary variety to grow with Vibrant. Vibrant shows good resistance to Powdery mildew and Phytophthora cactorum and performs well in substrate culture. However, a susceptibility to Verticillium wilt limits production in the soil to clean or sterilised sites.
Vibrant fruit is suitable for all market outlets, UK retail listings include Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Marks & Spencer and Asda.
For more information:
Laura Amos
Meiosis Ltd
Tel: +44 1732 872711
Email: [email protected]
www.meiosis.co.uk
