Strawberries are known for their vibrant color, juicy texture, and sweet flavor. With more than 100 different varieties of strawberries, UC Davis put four to the taste test! The community gathered to try four varieties or cultivars from the UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program and voted on their favorite by the end of the night. After the event, Guittard Chocolate Company donated chocolate to pair with the strawberries. 

The UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program started in 1924. Through their 100-year legacy,  72 cultivars have been produced. As global demand grows, traits like yield, firmness, shelf life, and weight are pursued. During Forum: Breeding the Best Strawberries, experts Steven Knapp and Glenn Cole from UC Davis and Hillary Thomas from Naturipe Berry Growers, Inc.Old World described how the perfect strawberry is bred with these traits while balancing flavor and appearance.

In 1766, the strawberry was discovered in the Petit Trianon Gardens of Versailles as a hybrid between two wild species from the old world. Strawberries gained a permanent place on our shelves through a brisk 250 years of domestication with this unique fruit. Now, California supplies 90% of the strawberries grown in the United States, using less than a percent of its farmland. 

Strawberry breeding at UC Davis began when it was still known as the UC Berkeley tofarm. The University of California led innovation through vernalization (chilling seeds to enhance production), increasing yield, and improving firmness to elongate the shelf life. 

A huge barrier for strawberry production is Fusarium wilt, a devastating fungal disease. Luckily, UC Davis specifically breeds to avoid this disease, and to survive in warmer and colder environments. Industry partners like Naturipe continue to use, grow, and test various breeds to find the perfect fit for its environment and target consumer. Over 383 billion fruits are harvested in California each year, but the demand is still growing. It’s time to breed the next best cultivar to reach these high standards for strawberries.

For tonight’s tasting, Eclipse, Golden Gate, Keystone, and Monarch were chosen to provide a window into the next best variety on the market as they are resistant to Fusarium wilt and produce high yields for the harvest. Eclipse is the firmest of the bunch, Monarch is bred for aroma and taste, Keystone has the highest brix (sugar content), and Golden Gate is the least firm. Surprisingly, the voting ended in a tie between Monarch and Golden Gate! To keep up with more sweet successes for the breeding program, visit strawberry.ucdavis.edu and watch the event recording.

Gwen Gonzalez is a fourth-year food science major passionate about storytelling and food innovation. She is an active member of the Food Tech Club on campus and assists in Guinard's Lab pursuing sensory science. When she's not thinking about food, she immerses herself in music and the performing arts at the Manetti Shrem Museum and Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts. In the future, she hopes to merge her interests in food and the arts and contribute to creative research and development in the food industry.