Tag: strawberry breeding

Hands holding ripe red strawberries above green strawberry plants.

Following Hurricane Milton, Florida growers show resilience in ensuring fresh Florida strawberries are available this season

by Brad Buck
March 9, 2026

Florida strawberry growers are a resilient bunch. They’ve survived the back-to-back punches from hurricanes Helene and Milton. Through hard work and efficient problem-solving, they have planted the fruits you’ll enjoy from December through ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: Cultivars, Disease Resistance, Ember, Encore, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Hurricane Milton, Hurricanes, Kenneth Parker, Phytophthora Root Rot, Resilience, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeding, Strawberry Growers, Vance Whitaker
Hands holding a bunch of ripe strawberries with green leaves.

It’s a first: UF scientists find ethyl vanillin in a UF/IFAS-bred strawberry

by Brad Buck
March 18, 2026

University of Florida scientists have found ethyl vanillin -- an aroma compound in many artificial vanilla-flavored food products -- in a UF/IFAS-bred strawberry. This is a key finding for the food and beverage industry and for the UF/IFAS ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: Citrus Research And Education Center, Ethyl Vanillin, Food And Beverages, Medallion, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeding, UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Vance Whitaker, Vanilla, Yu Wang
Close-up of ripe and unripe strawberries with a white flower among green leaves.

UF scientists see bright future as they seek savory strawberries – and high yield

by Brad Buck
March 18, 2026

Strawberry consumers love the fruit’s sweet flavor, and University of Florida scientists are trying to meet that desire, while also helping growers produce high yields. But genes and volatile compounds that control flavor are difficult ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture
Tags: AI, Aroma, Artificial Intelligence, Flavor, Genetics, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Kevin Wang, Mark Porter, Plant Breeding Ph.D. Program, Precision Ag, Seonghee Lee, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeding, Strawberry Genome, Taste Panels, Vance Whitaker
A man speaks into a microphone in front of strawberry research posters at an outdoor event.

From 5,000 strawberries to DNA breakthrough: Doctoral grad sweetens the future of fruit

by Brad Buck
March 6, 2026

As we enter the height of Florida’s strawberry production season, many consumers crave the taste and aroma of the fruit. That’s part of what compels Mark Porter to try to enhance those qualities. For his doctoral dissertation, Porter ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Horticulture
Tags: Aroma, Consumers, DNA, DNA Test, Doctoral Dissertation, Flavor, Genome, Growers, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, Mark Porter, Ph.D., Plant Breeding, Plant Breeding Ph.D. Program, Seonghee Lee, Sour, Strawberries, Strawberry Breeding, Sweet, Taste

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