Updates on Italian strawberry breeding programs coordinated by CREA-FRF

In Italy, after a strong decrease occurred in the 1990s and in the 2000s, the total strawberry-cultivated acreage has been stable since the last five years (2016: 3,625 ha). Nowadays, the southern areas represent 66% of the National strawberry acreage. Winter planting systems with bare root plants and plug plants are adopted. Sabrosa (R) Candonga', 'Sabrina', 'Florida Fortuna' are the dominant cultivars. In northern areas, the traditional summer planting with cold-stored plants is common; the main cultivars are 'Eva', 'Alba', 'Clery', 'Roxana' and 'Garda'. CREA-FRF (ex CRA-FRF) in Forli, in Emilia-Romagna Region, coordinates the Italian public strawberry breeding programs carried out in different regions of the South and of the North. The main goal is to produce more and better cultivars for fresh consumption (June-bearing and ever-bearing) well-adapted to the different environmental conditions and to the different crop-management practices of the various areas, including fruit quality improvement (taste, aroma, sweetness, flesh firmness, size, regular shape, long shelf-life, health-promoting properties) and upgrading disease resistance. Recent results about new varieties and some advanced selections (June-bearing and ever-bearing), grown in different Italian areas, will be reported in this paper.