Pandora

Parentage
Pandora was raised in 1979 from the cross (Von Humboldt x Redstar) x Merton Dawn.

Fruit Quality
The berries are a regular conical shape with an orange-red colour which darken in high temperatures. Skin and flesh are moderately firm and the berries have an excellent flavour and pleasant, juicy texture.

Yield and Fruit Size
Pandora is rather sensitive to planting dates and the best yields are achieved by planting fresh runners at the beginning of August, or earlier if possible. In trials using this system a typical yield in the first season is 800g per plant Class 1, of which approximately 50% is over 35mm diameter.

Marketing
Pandora is a dessert variety but has softer skin and flesh than Elsanta, and consequently a shorter shelf life. It must be picked frequently and handled with care if the fruit is aimed at supermarket sales. The late season and excellent flavour make it useful to pick-your-own growers and those supplying local markets and caterers.

Plant Characteristics
Pandora is male sterile and must be inter-planted with a late flowering pollinator variety such as Sophie or Florence. Best results have been achieved by using two different pollinators at a ratio of no more than 3 Pandora:1 pollinator. Plants are very vigorous and should be grown as discrete plants at a density of 24,000 per ha or less. The requirements for nitrogenous fertiliser is minimal but plentiful irrigation is essential. Planting in the autumn or winter should be avoided as this may result in over-vigorous and blind plants.

Disease Resistance
Pandora is moderately resistant to wilt (Verticillium dahliae), crown rot (Phytophthora cactorum), blackspot Colletotrichum acutatum and powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis.) It is susceptible to red core (Phytophthora fragariae), angular leaf spot (Xanthomonas fragariae), and (Diplocarpon earliana).