Hailiji, a new strawberry cultivar with high quality and storability

Abstract: Hailiji is a new strawberry cultivar selected in 2021 from a progeny of the cross between Sweet Charlie and Akihime made in 2014. Those two cultivars were used as parents mainly because of its long shelf life and good fruit quality. Hailiji was evaluated for nine years (2014 to 2021) in evaluations in Shanghai and other nearby regions of the Southeastern China. The most extensive testing was done in Shanghai, where it was planted in replicated trials with Sweet Charlie and Akihime as control cultivars. From 2015 to 2021, three 200-plant plots were established each year in mid-September in a randomized complete block design. The plants are really vigous and compact. The plants have a mean height of 174.4 mm and a mean canopy diameter of 49 mm. The leaves are large with dark green color. The first inflorescences commonly have more than 16 flowers and the ratio of harvest fruits to flowers is above 89.5%. The first-grade fruits ripen in mid-November in Shanghai, 14 to 16 d earlier than that in Akihime. The duration of harvest is about 6 months. The fruit shape is long roundish conical with an average length to width ratio of 2.04. The fruits ripen in the early to mid-season and are large (average fruit weight 23 g) with good firmness and slight aromatic flavor. The fruits are well adapted for fresh markets and long distance shipping. The plants and fruits are mid- resistant to powdery mildew [Podosphaera macularis (Wallr.) U. Braun & S. Takam] and resistant to Grey mold (Botrytis cinerea Pers.) to some extend. It perfoms well in Shanghai and would be recommended for the regions with mild winter.