Marathon

Strawberry

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Key Largo'

Summary: 'Marathon' has more pubescence on the petioles and stolons than 'Key Largo'. The flowers of 'Marathon' are positioned beneath and level with the foliage whereas those of 'Key Largo' are located level with and above the foliage. 'Marathon' produces large fruit while 'Key Largo' produces medium sized fruit. Adherence of the calyx for 'Marathon' is strong while it is moderate for 'Key Largo'. 'Marathon' has a slightly uneven colour of the flesh whereas for 'Key Largo' the flesh is even coloured.

Description:

'Marathon' is a non-everbearing strawberry variety with late flowering and mid-season to late harvest maturity. Plants are globose in habit, open in density and have weak to moderate vigour. The leaves are medium green on the upper side with a flat profile and medium blistering. There are three leaflets present. The terminal leaflet has a cupped profile and is slightly longer than it is broad. The terminal leaflet has an acute shaped base and the margin teeth are acute to obtuse in shape. The petiole has moderate pubescence with the hairs positioned outwards. 'Marathon' produces a small number of stolons which have moderate intensity of anthocyanin colouration. The stolons are thick with moderate pubescence.

The medium to large sized flowers are positioned beneath and level with the foliage. The calyx is larger, in diameter, than the corolla and the inner calyx is slightly smaller than the outer calyx. The flower petals are touching to overlapping. The petal length/width ratio is almost as long as it is broad.

The fruiting truss is erect to semi-erect and long. The fruit is almost as long as it is broad and large in size. The fruit is conical in shape and there are no to very 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 absent to very weak. The fruit of 'Marathon' has slightly uneven to even red skin colour with strong glossiness. The achenes are inserted level with the fruit surface. The calyx is set almost level with the fruit and the calyx segments are clasping. The calyx is slightly larger than the fruit in diameter and adheres strongly to the fruit. The fruit flesh is medium firm and a slightly uneven, medium red colour. The fruit has medium sweetness, moderate acidity and a medium texture.

Origin & Breeding History: 'Marathon' originated from the controlled cross between varieties 'Key Largo' and 'L3' in Pajaro, Monterey County, California in December 1993. It was selected from a controlled breeding plot at Garrison Farm in Valrico, Hillsborough County, Florida, in December 1994. Selection was based on its combination of particular traits which included plant vigour, average width and length of the terminal leaflet, terminal leaflet shape, leaf blistering, diameter of inner to outer calyx, fruit length/width ratio, fruit size and fruit shape.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for 'Marathon' were conducted in matted rows at the Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre, Kentville, Nova Scotia in 2000 and 2001. The trials consisted of two replicates per variety. The plants were planted in rows approximately 5 metres long and 0.5 metres wide. Evaluations were made on plants during the 2000 and 2001 growing seasons.