Parthenope and Elide strawberry, a winning combination from CIV in the southern Italian areas
Testimonials from experts agree: Parthenope® stands out for its earliness, very high Brix and good shelf-life; Elide®, a medium ripening variety, is a winning option for the hot months of May and June.
Despite Coronavirus, the CIV’s varietal development activity does not stop. Particularly in Southern Italy, where CIV specialists constantly monitor the agronomic-commercial performance of two brand new strawberry varieties: PARTHENOPE® CIVS115* and ELIDE®CIVS906*.
It is in the area of Caserta, in Campania, one of the most important areas for Italian strawberry production, that these two varieties are finding plenty of space. The first testimony is that of Silvestro Chianese, agricultural expert and consultant in the Caserta area.
‘PARTHENOPE® CIVS115* is a variety that is emerging in the Caserta area. There are, in fact, many producers who have been following it since it was only a selection. The main characteristic of this variety is certainly its precociousness: in some farms, depending on the time of planting, PARTHENOPE® CIVS115* has even proved to be the earliest variety of all.’
From a production point of view, Chianese reports that ‘the first harvests of CIVS115* were characterized by large-sized fruit. We started with 15–20 g per plant, reaching 40–50 g by the end of February. Today, April 14th, the cumulated production is higher than the average of the varieties grown in the area and it is around 350 g. These data, although very promising, must be contextualized and interpreted in relation to the mild winter and are limited to the tests that we are implementing in several farms in Caserta.’
Chianese then dwells on the physiological aspects: ‘PARTHENOPE® CIVS115* presents a plant with an upright growth habit and fruit outside the foliage. This makes harvesting easier and reduces costs.’ The fruit ‘has a very high Brix and an average acidity, which guarantees an intense taste. The fruit is appealing, cone-shaped and bright red in colour, very interesting for markets where the good shelf life allows for an easy commercialization.’
Another testimony on PARTHENOPE® CIVS115* comes from Giuseppe Costanzo, another expert from the area, who, in addition to confirming what Chianese has expressed, highlights an agronomic-managerial aspect. ‘As shown by many varieties from CIV, the intrinsic rusticity of the plant entails the need for careful management of fertilization. Given the high productivity and natural vigour of the plant, excessive nutrients are not recommended, which could, in some cases, stimulate too much vegetative and fruit growth in the early season to then block the plant in spring and/or cause a decrease in fruit size.’ A correct agronomic management of PARTHENOPE® CIVS115* ‘allows the constant production of high and homogeneous quality fruit and guarantees a correct vegetative-productive balance.’
If PARTHENOPE® CIVS115* is an early proposal from CIV for strawberry growing in Southern Italy, ELIDE®.CIVS906* is a medium ripening variety from Caserta.
Chianese, who is following this variety closely, explains that ‘in fact, this variety starts producing in February, where it can reach 20–30 g per plant, which then increases to 50–60 g in March until it reaches very high production levels from April onwards.’
Silvestro Chianese emphasizes: ‘It is important to note that although ELIDE®CIVS906* is a little slow in the initial flowering, it then guarantees about 400 grams of production in 40 days. Furthermore, let’s not forget that those who are interested in a high-quality production in the warm months of May and June, when most varieties normally show a quality deterioration, ELIDE®.CIVS906* is a winning option. In fact, this variety has shown over the years a high tolerance to high temperature and the ability to guarantee a high-quality production even at the end of May / beginning of June.
Chianese concludes: ‘The plant shows an assurgent habit for this variety as well, with fruit outside the leaves and therefore easy to harvest. The plant is of medium vigour and the fruit stands out for a high uniformity in terms of conical shape, sweet taste, and crispy and consistent pulp texture, which gives the fruit an excellent shelf life.’
In conclusion: these authoritative testimonies show how PARTHENOPE® CIVS115* and ELIDE®.CIVS906* can be complementary and offer the grower a winning combination to obtain constant and quality production from the early period to the final months of the season.
- Profile / CIV Strawberry breeding program
Active since 1984, it has developed along four lines of research: strawberries for temperate Mediterranean climate environments, for continental climate environments, re-flowering and varieties suitable for industrial processing. The use of classical techniques, the development of new varieties that guarantee high yields and excellent quality fruit, together with a natural rusticity and vigour of the plants, are CIV’s primary objectives aimed at offering the national and international markets not only quality but also the utmost eco-sustainability.
- Profile / CIV – Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti
CIV — Consorzio Italiano Vivaisti — is a leader in Italy in varietal innovation and in the production of certified propagation materials. Active since 1983, based in San Giuseppe di Comacchio, in the province of Ferrara, the CIV is made up of the three leading Italian nurseries in the industry: Vivai Mazzoni, Salvi Vivai, and Tagliani Vivai. Through synergy, experience and substantial investments in research, CIV is able to offer cutting-edge products responding to market needs. CIV, with great foresight, has been committed for years to selecting varieties that can provide high quality production with reduced energy requirements and minimal environmental impact. Overall, the three nurseries produce around 5 million rootstocks, 3.5 million apple, pear, and stone fruit plants, and 250 million strawberry plants each year. CIV is a founding member of the International New-varieties Network (INN), a worldwide association of nurseries that promotes the exchange, evaluation and marketing of new varieties in the main production areas of the world.
C.I.V. CONSORZIO ITALIANO VIVAISTI , S.S. Romea 116, 44020 San Giuseppe di Comacchio (FE) Italy
Tel +39 0533 399431 Fax +39 0533 399441 – E-mail: media@civ.it – Web: www.civ.it