Darselect

Strawberry

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Totem' and 'Elsanta'

Summary: The leaves of 'Darselect' have medium interveinal blistering compared to 'Totem' and 'Elsanta' which have very weak interveinal blistering. 'Darselect' has fruit which is conical in shape and differs from 'Elsanta' which has cordate shaped fruit. The fruit of 'Darselect' have a very narrow band without achenes compared to 'Totem' which have a medium band without achenes.

Description:

'Darselect' is a June bearing strawberry variety with early flowering and maturity. Plants are globose in habit, medium to dense and have medium to strong vigour and high tolerance to low temperatures. The leaves are medium to dark green in colour with a flat to slightly convex profile and medium blistering. There are three leaflets present. The terminal leaflet has a cupped profile and is longer than broad. The terminal leaflet has a slightly oblique shaped base and the margin teeth are obtuse in shape. The petiole has dense pubescence with the hairs positioned outwards. The stipules have strong to very strong anthocyanin colouration. 'Darselect' produces medium to many stolons with medium to strong anthocyanin colouration. The stolons are medium to thick and the pubescence is absent to very weak.

The flowers are positioned beneath to level with the foliage and are large in size. The calyx is larger in diameter relative to the corolla and the inner calyx is smaller than the outer calyx. The flower petals are overlapping. The petal length/width ratio is as long as broad.

The fruiting truss is semi-erect and medium in length. The fruit is longer than broad and large in size. The fruit is conical in shape and there are slight differences between the shape of the primary and secondary fruits. The achene band is absent to very narrow and the unevenness of the fruit surface is weak. 'Darselect' has red skin that is even in colour and has strong glossiness. The achenes are inserted below to level with the fruit surface. The calyx is set in a basin. The calyx is the same size to larger than the fruit in diameter and adheres strongly to the fruit. The fruit flesh has medium firmness and a slightly uneven medium red colour. The fruit has medium to strong sweetness, medium acidity and a medium texture.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Darselect' originated in S.C. Darbonne, Domaine St. Jacques from the controlled cross between 'Elsanta' and 'Parker' in June 1989. The variety was propagated asexually by runners and micropropagation. The variety was selected based on fruit size calibre, fruit firmness, fruit taste, plant vigour, and tolerance to root diseases.

Tests & Trials: Trials were planted in 1999 at Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Substation at Abbotsford, British Columbia. Plots were replicated 4 times, each plot with 5 mother plants 30 cm apart, all allowed to runner into a matted row system of growing. Evaluations were made on plants during 1999 and 2000.