YIELD COMPONENTS OF DAY-NEUTRAL AND SHORT-DAY STRAWBERRY VARIETIES ON RAISED BEDS IN BRITISH-COLUMBIA

Eight day-neutral and seven short-day strawberry (Fragaria xananassa Duch.) varieties were evaluated on raised beds during 1990 and 1991 in the Fraser River valley, B.C. Among day-neutral varieties in 1990, total variation in marketable yield originated in fruit count (26%), total yield (18%), average leaf size (22%), and runner count (19%) per plant. In 1991, total variation in marketable yield originated in fruit count (38%), runner count (23 %), crown count (13%), and total yield (16%) per plant. 'Selva' was one of the most productive day-neutral varieties and had the heaviest fruit and the fewest culls during both years of the study. The short-day varieties had uniformly low yields of marketable fruit during the establishment year, 1990. Variation in marketable yield in 1991 originated in runner count (34%), total yield (18%), and fruit count (16%) per plant. Of the short-day varieties in 1991, 'Shuswap' had the highest marketable yield and, along with 'Pajaro' and 'Sequoia', had the fewest culls. 'Shuswap' was a prolific producer of runners, while 'Sumas' and 'Redcrest' yielded well without prolific runner production.