Sweet Sensation™
(FL 09 127 cv.)
Registered in some countries as Florida127 Variety.
Attributes
- Exceptional flavor
- Uniformly well-shaped
- Medium to bright red and glossy
- Very good shelf life and transportability
- High percentage of large, marketable fruit
- Early planting date and fruit onset
- Highly productive
- Easy to harvest
Fruit & Plant Characteristics
Dr. Vance Whitaker of the University of Florida (UF) selected the short-day strawberry cultivar, FL 09 127, for the annual, winter plasticulture growing system of Central Florida. Planted in early October, the variety develops a moderately compact, robust and upright plant with long fruit pedicels. The FL 09 127 strawberry variety is marketed in the USA under the Sweet Sensation™ Brand.
When planted as early as the end of September, the Sweet Sensation™ brand FL 09 127 strawberry variety produces high yields of excellent quality fruit throughout the season. Depending on ambient temperatures, growers harvest the first fruit about 60 days after plant establishment. The conic to broad-conic fruit is uniform in shape, well exposed on the bed and easy to pick. Growers have observed no overly elongated fruit from early established plantings, even when exposed to hot weather.
Fruit of the Sweet Sensation™ strawberry brand is characterized by its exceptional flavor and aromatics with high BRIX. The fruit size remains large over the course of the season. The berries gradually develop a medium to bright red external color. The FL 09 127 strawberry variety does not become overly dark late in the season, in response to hot weather or post-harvest cooling. Fruit firmness sustains an excellent shelf life.
Nursery & Field Production
The Sweet Sensation™ brand FL 09 127 variety runners well in the nursery field and produces plants with large crown size. The robust, upright foliage suffers less breakage than the Florida Fortuna strawberry variety.
The FL 09 127 is a very heat tolerant strawberry cultivar that produces best results when grown in open field rather than under tunnels. Fruit of the Sweet Sensation™ brand FL 09 127 variety develops its external color gradually. Growers should adjust picking schedules to allow optimum external color development.
Disease Resistance
The FL 09 127 strawberry variety shows moderate resistance to Anthracnose and Macrophomina crown and root rot but is susceptible to Phytopthora. It has proven to be highly tolerant to Anthracnose fruit rot, but growers should practice preventative measures to confront infections of Botritis and Powdery mildew. Growers should be prepared to manage the pest environment unique to open field production.
*Characteristics may vary depending on weather conditions, day length, soil type and location.