Strawberry Cultivars Compared For Virus Content, Runner and Fruit Production1

Abstract

Abstract The incidence of viruses in strawberry runner plants from 3 test plantings in Oregon varied by cultivar; incidence was greatest near the center of the major strawberry producing area of Oregon (Aurora) and was less in north-central Oregon (Hermiston) and in southern Oregon (Roseburg), where few strawberries are grown. Runner plants harvested from Aurora, Hermiston, and Roseburg plots in April 1970 were planted at Aurora in a comparative-yield trial with commercial nursery stocks from California, Oregon, and Washington. During the first year there were no significant differences in fruit production or in runner production among the sources of a particular cultivar planted at the same time at Aurora. However, during the second fruiting year, ‘Hood’ stock from Aurora yielded significantly less than some other ‘Hood’ stocks. We conclude that the Hermiston and Roseburg areas in Oregon can produce strawberry-nursery stock of the same quality with respect to virus incidence as other isolated areas now used for this purpose on the Pacific Coast. During this study, virus incidence in daughter plants varied markedly from year to year in consecutive annual plantings of indexed plants at a given location. The number of runner plants produced, however, was not significantly correlated with the virus incidence in these runner plants over the 3-year period of the test.