NEW STRAWBERRY VARIETY TRIAL BEGINS ON SEVERAL SOFT FRUIT FARMS

A new strawberry variety trial has begun on several soft fruit farms across Ireland. The trial is run in association with the Italian soft fruit plant propagators Mazzoni and Salvi-Vivai (also known as CIV). The trial will grow a number of ‘June bearing’ varieties in a range of protective structures including glasshouses, walk in tunnels and Spanish tunnels. The main aim is to see how the different strawberry varieties perform in these structures and in different parts of the country. All of the varieties will be grown in either peat or coco peat (coir) substrates. With the help of Teagasc the growers will record the fruit weights and the fruit quality from the individual trial. The trials will include the growth of both early and mid-season varieties; ‘Joly’, ‘Sibilla’, ‘Lycia’ ‘Annely’ and ‘CIV 725’. The industry is always looking for new strawberry varieties that can complement the existing ones being grown and could potentially fill the existing gaps in production throughout the long season. Jim Kearns of Kearns Soft Fruit Farm near Enniscorthy, in Co.Wexford commented, “I am delighted about taking part in the trial as we are always on the lookout for new strawberry varieties to extend our fruit season”. ✽