BREEDING STRAWBERRIES FOR EASTERN CENTRAL CANADA

Canada imports more than 21,000 tonnes of strawberries annually, of which approximately 5,000-6,000 tonnes are frozen berries used for processing at a cost of more than $ 10 million. These could be replaced by Canadian grown fruit if improved cultivars, and suitable for mechanical harvesting, processing and fresh market adapted to canadian climatic conditions would be available. For many years producers in Quebec have grown the cultivar 'Redcoat' (Sparkle x Valentine) released in 1957 by Agriculture Canada, Ottawa, Redcoat is now rapidly being replaced by 'Kent', ('K68-58 x Raritan') released in 1981 by Agriculture Canada, Kentville. Despite Quebec's preeminant position in Canada as a strawberry producing region, no strawberry cultivars have ever been bred specific for Quebec conditions. In 1982 a breeding program was initiated at Agriculture Canada St-Jean. This program was terminated in 1986 without any material having been tested sufficiently for release. In 1987 a joint project between McGill University and Agriculture Canada initiated to continue the breeding program and develop cultivars particularly suitable for mechanical harvesting and processing, resistant to disease and adapted to local conditions.