Carmela

Strawberry

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'Camarosa'

Summary: 'Carmela' differs from 'Camarosa' mainly in leaf colour and blistering, anthocyanin colouration of the stipule, petal length/width ratio and fruit size, shape and colour. 'Carmela' has medium green leaves while they are dark green for 'Camarosa'. The leaf blistering is very strong for 'Carmela' while it is medium for 'Camarosa'. 'Carmela' has strong anthocyanin colouration of the stipule while it is weak for 'Camarosa'. The petals of 'Carmela' are much broader than long while they are as long as broad for 'Camarosa'. 'Carmela' has medium sized, conical orange red skinned fruit while they are very large, almost cylindrical dark red fruit for 'Camarosa'.

Description:

PLANT: globose growth habit, medium density, medium vigour, low temperature tolerance, not everbearing

LEAF: medium green on upper side, horizontal profile, very strong interveinal blistering, only three leaflets per leaf
TERMINAL LEAFLET: slightly concave in profile, flat attitude of leaf tip, longer than broad length/width ratio, obtuse base, crenate shape of teeth
PETIOLE: medium dense pubescence, hairs pointing upwards
STIPULE: strong anthocyanin colouration

STOLON: many in number, medium anthocyanin colouration, medium thickness, medium dense pubescence

FLOWERING: very early
INFLORESCENCE: position level with foliage
FLOWER: medium size, calyx diameter larger in size to corolla, inner calyx diameter same size as outer calyx
PETALS: overlapping, much broader than long

FRUITING TRUSS: semi-erect attitude at first picking, long
FRUIT: much longer than broad, medium size, predominant shape is conical, slight difference in shape between primary and secondary fruit, medium band without achenes
FRUIT SKIN: absent or very weak uneveness of surface, orange red, even colour, medium glossiness
ACHENES: insertion below surface of fruit
CALYX: set above fruit, reflexed pose of segments, larger than fruit diameter, strong adherence to fruit
FRUIT FLESH: firm, orange red, slightly uneven colour, strong sweetness, medium texture when tasted, medium acidity
FRUIT HARVEST: very early

Origin & Breeding History: 'Carmela' was created in a breeding program by crossing the seed parent, an undistributed variety designated 86-032 and the pollen parent, an undistributed variety designated 9261. The female parent is a component of a parent collection, from a selection made between plants issued from seeds in a free pollination in a population of different origin. The male parent is a selection from the breeders' program of Planasa. The resulting seedling was grown and asexually propagated by runners in Soria, Spain.

Tests & Trials: The trials were performed during the summer of 2007 in Lavaltrie, Quebec. There were 11 plants of the candidate variety, each spaced 40cm apart within the row with rows spaced 120cm apart.

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Strawberry: Candidate variety 'Carmela'

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Strawberry: Reference variety 'Camarosa'