Brilliance™ (FL 13 26 134 cv.)

Fruit Characteristics

Dr. Vance Whitaker of the University of Florida (UF) named the Florida Brilliance strawberry variety for its outstanding fruit quality. Its bright, medium red color, uniform conical shape and the attractive, glossy finish characterize the Florida Brilliance fruit. The variety stands out as one of the earliest, high yielding cultivars in the UF portfolio.

Fruit of the Florida Brilliance strawberry variety has a beautiful, medium-red external color that appears very glossy thanks to its notably sunken seeds. The large berries have a juicy texture and provide a good balance of sugars and acids similar to the Florida Fortuna strawberry variety. The average fruit size is slightly larger than that of the Florida Fortuna. The fruit retains its size and broad, conic shape throughout the season. Producers report no elongated fruit early in the season.

Depending on ambient temperatures, growers harvest the first fruit about 45 days after plant establishment. Fruit of the Florida Brilliance strawberry variety maintains its weight after harvest and is moderately firm with excellent shelf life.

 

Plant Characteristics

Plants of the Florida Brilliance strawberry variety have an open architecture. They are robust with long pedicels offering a well-exposed fruit and efficient harvest. This cultivar is very adaptable to different regions, locations, growing styles, and planting dates.

 

Nursery Production

Transplants are more robust than those of the Florida Fortuna strawberry variety. This allows nursery men to dig the plants earlier to accomplish earlier planting dates. Runner production is slightly less than that of Florida Fortuna cultivar.

Multi-site fungicides should be used in the nursery field to allow flexibility for the fruit grower to avoid possible pesticide resistance. Frequent management to avoid Colletotrichum infections and the use of sulfur products to treat powdery mildew are recommended.

 

Field Production

The Florida Brilliance strawberry variety requires less early-season nitrogen for plant establishment than other UF cultivars. The general recommended rate is for 2.2 kg N/Ha/day for the first three weeks after plant establishment and 1.12 Kg N/Ha/day thereafter. Pre-plant N fertilization is not recommended. Requirements may vary depending upon soil and water analyses.

Lighter soils allow for a slightly earlier transplant date. Growers should schedule irrigation carefully based on soil type and nature of the season.

 

Disease Resistance

The Florida Brilliance strawberry variety offers moderate to high resistance to many diseases. Growers, however, must proactively manage crown rot and root rot caused by Phytophthora cactorum. Phosphite products offer a low risk for pathogen resistance.

The Florida Brilliance cultivar is more resistant to Colletotrichum acutatum fruit rot compared to the Florida Fortuna variety. It is substantially more resistance to charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) than the Florida Festival variety.

 

*Characteristics may vary depending on weather conditions, day length, soil type and location.