Inflorescence and Fruit Development in Concentrated and Nonconcentrated Ripening Strawberries1

Abstract Morphological differences exist in pre- and postdormant inflorescence and fruit development of concentrated ripening selections Iowa 23-6214 and 26-6215 when compared with nonconcentrated ripening strawberry cultivars ‘Midway’ and ‘Cyclone’. Inflorescences sectioned before dormancy, however, revealed no characteristics considered indicative of concentrated ripening. Stylar development in secondary and tertiary flowers of greenhouse grown, concentrated ripening selections was retarded in the early post-dormant period. In single harvests in the field and greenhouse, these selections had higher percentages of ripe and partially ripe secondary and tertiary fruit than ‘Midway’ and ‘Cyclone’. A high abortion rate and/or arrested development in late-blooming flowers was characteristic of concentrated ripening selections. Pedicel length and inflorescence branching habit were not correlated with developmental or ripening rates.