Strawberries take the spotlight during the spring harvest, drawing everyone’s attention. Who can resist the allure of freshly picked strawberries on a late spring day, bursting with flavor and versatile for use in smoothies, desserts, syrups, preserves, or as a raw, healthy snack?

The Agricultural Research Service’s (USDA-ARS) strawberry breeding program in Beltsville, Md., is shaking up National Strawberry Day with exciting news about a new cultivar called Lumina.

Lumina Strawberries – A Sweet Success in the Early Mid-Atlantic Season

Initial research results revealed that ‘Lumina’ consistently delivers high yields of large, sweet, vividly colored, and glossy strawberries, making them marketable early in the Mid-Atlantic strawberry season. Additionally, they exhibit relative resistance to foliar diseases found in the field, leading to low rot during harvest and postharvest storage.

Did You Know?

The highlight of spring, strawberries, enchant with their fresh appeal, making them ideal for delightful treats such as smoothies, desserts, and wholesome snacks.

Anthracnose fruit rot, a common issue in traditional strawberry growing seasons, can significantly damage the crop, even during cold storage. ‘Lumina’ stands out as there is little to no evidence of anthracnose affecting this cultivar.

According to USDA-ARS Research Plant Geneticist Kim Lewers, “No fumigation or fungicides were used on ‘Lumina’ in the field.” This is remarkable, considering that research shows ‘Lumina’ fruits were 24 percent more marketable than its early-season predecessor after two weeks in post-harvest storage.

‘Lumina’ is anticipated to be well-suited for the Mid-Atlantic region of the US and areas with similar climates. The strawberry’s exceptional shelf life is an added benefit to its sweet taste, described with a notable creamy texture.

Source-Medindia