Brilliance, the new Florida strawberry variety introduced last season, has proven to be to be quite popular.
The fruit’s initial season of commercial production has been reported by the the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Wimauma, FL. to have gone very well.
Entering its second season, the Florida brilliance already accounts for the majority of Florida’s strawberry acreage this season with an estimated 55 percent.
Florida growers have exclusive rights to the variety for three years before it will become available to growers in California and Mexico.
Florida brilliance basically is replacing the Florida radiance variety.
The berry’s most important trait is that it is early yielding, enabling growers to get into the fall/winter market sooner, making it the state’s earliest producing strawberry. The industry also is touting the improved shape of the berry, as well as flavor firmness and quality.
A variety formally called sweet sensation, also developed by the University of Florida, is the other major strawberry in the state, accounting for 25 to 30 percent of production.
Sweet sensation is not as resistant to rain as well as Florida brilliance and also lacks the yields. On the plus is the excellent flavor with a high brix (sugar) rating late in the season, which is important to processors.
Astin Strawberry Exchange LLC of Plant City, FL has shifted primarily away from the radiance to the brilliance variety and cites its fast growth to maturity as well as its high quality.
Astin Strawberry Exchange LLC, Plant City, Fla., is a company that now primarily plants the Florida brilliance variety.