Elegance

Parentage
Elegance (formerly EM1276) was bred at East Malling Research from a cross between two numbered seedlings, EM834 x EM1033 and was first selected in 2001.

Season

Fruit produced slightly later than Elsanta and crops over an extended period.

Fruit Quality
Very attractive, glossy, bright orange/red berries with uniform conic shape. Flavour is best when the fruit is fully ripe. Texture is fine and juicy. Berries have a waxy skin with good skin strength and hold well both on the plant and in store. Brix and shelf life are similar to Elsanta. Supermarkets score the berries highly for appearance and firmness.

Yield and Fruit Size
Higher yield than Elsanta, Florence and Symphony, with excellent 60-day performance. Fruit size is larger than Elsanta.

Marketing Suitability
The fruit is suited to most market outlets and promises to be a good addition to the June-bearer portfolio for both growers and retailers.

Plant Characteristics
Taller and more vigorous than Elsanta but with a more erect habit. Fruit is well-displayed.

Disease Resistance
Moderately resistant to crown rot (Phytophthora cactorum) and Verticillium wilt (Verticillium dahliae). Susceptible to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis).

Use of the Variety
Elegance gives excellent 60-day production over an extended period, good main crop yields and exceptional fruit quality. Elegance has a later season, similar to Symphony, with reasonably good disease tolerance to crown rot and Verticillium wilt, but a susceptibility to powdery mildew on the foliage has been noted in trials. The plants show more vigorous growth than Elsanta and a good fruit display. With a waxy skin the berries have good rain tolerance.