Private Strawberry Breeders in California Thomas M

Private Strawberry Breeders in California Thomas M. Sjulin Driscoll Strawberry Associates, Inc., Watsonville, CA 95076-5399

Private plant breeders and horticulturists Peru in the development of his fi rst successful in this cultivar over several seasons following in California have contributed to the genetic cultivar, ‘Rose Ettersburg’. He also crossed a transplanting to fruiting fi elds near Watsonville, improvement of the strawberry (Fragaria clone of F. chiloensis from Cape Mendocino Calif., from nurseries in the Trinity Mountains ×ananassa Duch.) since the days of the gold in Humboldt County with ‘Rose Ettersburg’, of northern California. Reiter commented on rush 150 years ago (Wilhelm and Sagen, 1974). and a seedling from the resulting hybrid was this phenomenon in a letter to the Pacifi c Rural I will discuss three individuals who have made introduced as ‘Ettersburg 80’. ‘Ettersburg 121’ Press. Etter observed, in reply to Reiter’s query, major contributions to that improvement and was also developed from crosses with F. chi- that the winters in Watsonville were too mild to who left a legacy to be built upon by those loensis, and later cultivars such as ‘Fendalcino’, stimulate vegetative reproduction. His observa- who followed. ‘Trebla’, ‘Red Cross’ and ‘Ettersburg 450’ tion supported the movement of the California were derived in turn from these cultivars and strawberry nursery to northern California sites ALBERT ETTER other selections that have F. chiloensis clones with adequate winter chilling to promote stolon in their parentage (Etter, 1920). production (Wilhelm and Sagen, 1974). Albert Etter (1872–1950) was born in El Several of Etter’s cultivars were widely Etter’s greatest legacy to the modern straw- Dorado County, Calif., to a German immigrant grown. The ‘Ettersburg 80’ was recognized berry industry is the genetic contribution of father who later moved the family to Humboldt for its dessert quality, and was grown for can- his cultivars to today’s cultivars. His cultivars County, Calif., along the north coast. Albert’s ning and jam manufacture in North America, are found in the background of all geographic formal education ended at the age of 15, and Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. In groups of North American cultivars described he began work on the family farm. When Et- England, it was renamed ‘Huxley’ and grown by Sjulin and Dale (1987) except the Minnesota ter turned 21, he established a homestead in a commercially until the 1950s. Others, such as group. ‘Fendalcino’ (developed from ‘Etters- remote area of Humboldt County. He named the ‘Fendalcino’ were popular home garden burg 121’) was a source of virus tolerance in his new homestead Ettersburg for the castle in cultivars in California (Wilhelm and Sagen, the UC breeding program (Wilhelm and Sagen, southern Germany where his family originated. 1974). In Oregon, ‘Ettersburg 121’ was second 1974) and contributes strongly to the genetics It was from this isolated homestead that Etter in importance only to ‘Marshall’, accounting of both public and private California cultivars. did his life’s work of breeding, propagating for 29% of the harvested area in a survey com- ‘Ettersburg 450’ is believed to be one parent and selling new cultivars of strawberries, pleted in 1925 and 1926 (Schuster and Burrier, of ‘Fairfax’, and thus contributes through the apples and pears (Darrow, 1963; Wilhelm and 1929). Small percentages of ‘Ettersburg 80’ widespread use of ‘Fairfax’ and derivatives Sagen, 1974). and ‘Trebla’ were also reported in this survey. in many North American public breeding Etter contributed to strawberry improve- Oregon at that time was a leading producer of programs in the fi rst half of the 20th Century ment in several ways, including 1) early use strawberries in the U.S., with more area har- (Darrow, 1966). Both ‘Ettersburg 121’ and of both South American and North Ameri- vested than California. ‘Ettersburg 121’ was ‘Ettersburg 450’ contribute heavily to Pacifi c can clones of the wild beach strawberry (F. rated the best cultivar for canning in Oregon Northwest cultivars. At least three additional chiloensis L.) to improve the adaptability of (Schuster, 1923), and was grown in that state founding clones from Etter’s work contribute strawberry cultivars to local conditions; 2) until the late 1940s, when it was replaced by to modern North American cultivars (Sjulin the development of commercially successful cultivars better suited to freezing (Waldo and and Dale, 1987). cultivars; 3) an understanding of the factors Hartman, 1947). Etter discontinued his strawberry breeding infl uencing fl owering and runnering in the Etter’s correspondence in the Pacifi c Rural after 1926, and concentrated on apple and pear strawberry; and 4) a major contribution to the Press also infl uenced strawberry industry lead- breeding. Darrow suspects that diseases intro- genetics of current cultivars in use throughout ers. Joseph E. Reiter, along with R.F. Driscoll, duced on germplasm sent to Etter may have North America. pioneered the development of ‘Banner’ as a made it diffi cult for him to continue his work Etter, despite his isolated location, infl u- major commercial cultivar along the central (Darrow, 1966). Whatever the reason, much of enced the thinking of strawberry researchers coast of California in the early 1900s. Reiter was Etter’s own collection of materialwas lost soon and producers of his day. He did this through puzzled by the diminished production of stolons after this time. Some of Etter’s cultivars have frequent correspondence in the Pacifi c Rural been re-collected from foreign sources (Fish- Press, an important agricultural newspaper man, 1987), and at least fi ve of Etter’s cultivars that at the time was edited by E.J. Wickson, (‘Ettersburg 121’, ‘Califour’, ‘Latecross’, ‘Red Dean of the University of California (UC) Col- Cross’ and ‘Trebla’) are listed in the Fragaria lege of Agriculture and a supporter of Etter’s catalog of the National Clonal Germplasm work (Fishman, 1987). Etter also infl uenced Repository in Corvallis, Ore. (National Clonal strawberry research through observations he Germplasm Repository, 2003). recorded in his own nursery catalog (Etter, 1920), and through visits made to his homestead EARL V. GOLDSMITH by strawberry researchers, including Roy Clau- sen, UC geneticist (Clausen, 1915) and George Earl Goldsmith (1892–1954) was born Darrow, strawberry breeder and horticulturist at Loma Prieta in Santa Cruz County, Calif. at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Like Albert Etter, his formal education fi n- in Beltsville, Md. (Darrow, 1963). ished early, as he attended Soquel Grammar Etter’s use of F. chiloensis in his breeding School but may not have attended high school. work is well documented (Clausen, 1915; Goldsmith’s fi rst horticultural experience was Darrow, 1963, 1966; Etter, 1920; Wilhelm and in the fruit orchards of San Jose, and then as Sagen, 1974). He recognized that F. chiloensis foreman at the UC Deciduous Fruit Field Sta- would improve the vigor, drought resistance tion in San Jose. In 1929, he was promoted to and fruit size of the cultivated strawberry. Etter station superintendent, and began his work on used a cultivated clone of F. chiloensis from Fig. 1. Albert F. Etter. strawberries (H.E. Thomas, undated).

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FFebruaryBookebruaryBook 1 1177 112/14/052/14/05 110:48:180:48:18 AAMM developed a distinct strawberry ideotype that the world. The steady succession of improved combined fruit quality with plant characters that cultivars allowed DSA to expand its area of improved harvest effi ciency. The most repre- production beyond its original base in the sentative example of this ideotype turned out Salinas–Watsonville district, while simultane- to be one of his last accomplishments, the Z5A ously featuring unique, high-quality fruit in its selection, which was later patented and named fl agship Driscoll label. the ‘Goldsmith’ in his honor (Goldsmith and One of the most noteworthy varieties de- Thomas, 1958). This cultivar was distinctive veloped by Johnson and his colleagues was in its open plant habit and long fruiting cycle ‘Heidi’ (Johnson and Thomas, 1972), which combined with large, attractive fruit with good was the fi rst cultivar for the central coast of shelf life. This cultivar contributed more than California that combined a strong summer any other developed by the Strawberry Institute production cycle with attractive, fl avorful fruit. to the early success of the DSA organization ‘Heidi’, more than any other cultivar developed as a major shipper of fresh strawberries. Un- at DSA, helped distinguish DSA as the premier fortunately, Goldsmith did not live to see his shipper of California strawberries. Finding a cultivar achieve its pinnacle of success, as he replacement for ‘Heidi’ proved diffi cult, but died suddenly in 1954, the very year that the several new cultivars released in the late 1980s, fi rst plants of ‘Goldsmith’ were propagated for most notably ‘Commander’ (Johnson et al., commercial release. 1989), were signifi cant improvements. Johnson Less well known are Goldsmith’s contri- also established high standards of quality for butions to red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) early spring cultivars in southern California breeding. Goldsmith began making raspberry with the introduction of ‘Thomas’ (Johnson, crosses in association with Joseph M. Reiter, 1983) and ‘Joe Reiter’ (Johnson, 1984). His son of Joseph E. (see above), in 1937 in the fi nal release, ‘E26’ (Johnson et al., 1991), was Santa Clara Valley. This work continued off instrumental in the development of a summer- and on until Goldsmith passed away in 1954. planted everbearing production system for late Fig. 2. Earl V. Goldsmith. Sweetbriar Development Company, a private autumn–early winter production in southern Rubus research and development company California. This production system fi lled the Goldsmith began making strawberry owned by Reiter’s descendents and today part remaining window in the California production crosses in 1929 as a side project at the San Jose of DSA, held a number of Goldsmith’s rasp- cycle, allowing DSA to ship strawberries from station after his daily tasks were completed. berry selections in small trial plots for many that state every week of the year. University of California plant pathologist H. years. Stephen Wilhelm began to evaluate Johnson, building on the organization E. Thomas of Berkeley took charge of the new some of these selections in the 1970’s fol- established by H.E. Thomas, established UC strawberry breeding program about that lowing his retirement as a plant pathologist DSA’s research department as a world-renown time, and he joined forces with Goldsmith in from UC Berkeley, and two of these selections organization. He continued his own personal what would become a life-long association were patented and used commercially. One development by completing his MS in plant (Wilhelm, 1954). Thomas provided overall of these, ‘Sweetbriar’ (Reiter, 1979), was for pathology at UC–Berkeley in 1965, under the direction to the program, which was focused on many years an important fresh market cultivar direction of Stephen Wilhelm. He brought developing adapted cultivars that were tolerant in California. The raspberry germplasm that entomologists, plant pathologists and addi- to the yellows virus complex that was ravaging Goldsmith left to Wilhelm has contributed tional plant breeders into the department, and the industry. Goldsmith was the “shadow on the much to the present success of the DSA Rubus maintained strong professional ties with the ground” that created the specifi c crosses and breeding effort. academic community. Johnson believes that a made the initial selections. Drawing on a geneti- balance must be struck between improvement cally diverse pool of germplasm that included HAROLD A. JOHNSON, JR. of horticultural traits, including consumer Etter’s cultivars, commercial cultivars grown traits, and improvement of pest and disease in California such as ‘Banner’, ‘Redheart’ and Harold A. (Hal) Johnson, Jr., was born in resistance to ensure the long-term prosperity of ‘Nich Ohmer’, and numbered selections from 1923 in Riverside, Calif., and spent his early both the USDA in Beltsville and the New York years in Santa Barbara, Calif. After graduation Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, from the University of California at Davis, these two scientists crossed, selected and Johnson began work in the Santa Maria, Cali- intercrossed among these selections for three fornia area in the fertilizer industry. Johnson generations to produce the fi rst fi ve cultivars to became acquainted with the Sheehy family of be released by this program in 1945 (Thomas Santa Maria who were farming strawberries and Goldsmith, 1945). These fi ve cultivars and for Driscoll Strawberry Associates (DSA). related selections developed by Goldsmith and When Earl V. Goldsmith suddenly passed Thomas constitute most of the germplasm pool away, the Strawberry Institute of California from which today’s public and private cultivars (now part of DSA) hired Johnson as their in California are derived. strawberry breeder. After H.E. Thomas retired Goldsmith and Thomas both left their from DSA, Johnson also assumed the duties university positions in the mid-1940s to join of vice president of the strawberry research the newly created Strawberry Institute of Cali- department. fornia established by Ned Driscoll and other Johnson was a prolifi c plant breeder dur- founders of Driscoll Strawberry Associates ing his tenure at DSA. Beginning with the E2 (DSA) at Morgan Hill, Calif. Thomas became cultivar patented in 1966 (U.S. Plant Patent the director of the institute while Goldsmith 2,611) and ending with the ‘E26’ patented in was the strawberry breeder. Using cultivars and 1991 (U.S. Plant Patent 7,522), Johnson and selections he developed at the UC, Goldsmith his colleagues at DSA discovered, patented continued his method of recurrent selection and commercialized 38 strawberry cultivars. breeding that he previously described as Many of these cultivars played an important pyramiding desirable characters (Thomas and role in DSA’s successful growth and current Goldsmith, 1945). At DSA, Goldsmith also position as the leading strawberry shipper in Fig. 3. Harold A. Johnson.

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FFebruaryBookebruaryBook 1 1188 112/14/052/14/05 110:48:220:48:22 AAMM the strawberry industry (Johnson, 1990). John- to expand the program into new geographic Johnson, Jr., H.A., D.W. Small, A.Q. Amorao, and son also has one of the strongest work ethics areas. Johnson continues to be involved in the J.I. Espejo, Jr. 1989. Strawberry plant ‘Com- of anyone I’ve ever met. He never feels that a strawberry industry today, assisting the Plant mander’. U.S. Plant Patent 7,024. job is beneath him, and quite often during his Sciences, Inc., breeding program established by Johnson, Jr., H.A. and H.E. Thomas. 1972. Straw- tenure at DSA he could be found in the middle his former DSA colleague, Richard Nelson. berry plant. U.S. Plant Patent 3,123. National Clonal Germplasm Repository. 2003. of a muddy fi eld helping dig nursery stock or NCGR-Corvallis Fragaria Catalog. http:// mapping a new seedling planting. Literature Cited www.ars-grin.gov/cor/catalogs/fracult.html. My colleagues and I at DSA have benefi ted Clausen, R.E. 1915. Ettersburg strawberries. J. Reiter, J.M. 1979. Raspberry plant. U.S. Plant tremendously from the germplasm and legacy Hered. 6:324–331. Patent 4,486. he established during his career. His insistence Darrow, G.M. 1963. Albert F. Etter—Strawberry Schuster, C.E. 1923. Strawberries. Ore. Agr. College that high standards of fl avor and eye appeal breeder. Fruit Var. Hort. Dig. 17:69–72. Expt. Sta. Circ. 32. be maintained in all cultivars made fi nding Darrow, G. M. 1966. The strawberry: history, Schuster, C.E. and A.S. Burrier. 1929. Cost and an improved cultivar more diffi cult, but that breeding and physiology. Holt, Rinehart and practices in strawberry production in the Wil- has helped DSA achieve a high level of brand Winston, New York. lamette valley. Ore. State Agr. College Agr. Etter, A.E. 1920. Ettersburg strawberries describing Exp. Sta. Bul. 245. recognition in the U.S. produce industry. When Sjulin, T.M. and A. Dale. 1987. Genetic diversity of he retired from full-time status in 1988, he left varieties and breeding methods as practiced at Etter Experimental Place, Ettersburg, Humboldt North American strawberry cultivars. J. Amer. us with a strong pool of advanced germplasm County. Eureka Printing Co., Eureka, Calif. Soc. Hort. Sci. 112:375–385. from which we have been able to develop even Fishman, R. 1987. Albert Etter: Fruit breeder. Fruit Thomas, H.E. No date. Unpublished notes on the better cultivars. New cultivars developed since Var. J. 41:40–46. life of Earl V. Goldsmith. 1988 for all areas including California, Florida, Goldsmith, E.V., and H.E. Thomas. 1958. Variety Thomas, H.E. and E.V. Goldsmith. 1945. The Shasta, Mexico, and Europe have been derived in large of strawberry. U.S. Plant Patent 1,735. Sierra, Lassen, Tahoe, and Donner strawberries. part from this pool of germplasm. Johnson, Jr., H.A.. 1983. Strawberry plant. U.S. Univ. Calif. Agr. Expt. Sta. Bul. 690. Johnson typically has not been able to Plant Patent 5,071. Waldo, G.F., and H. Hartman. 1947. Strawberry Johnson, Jr., H.A.. 1984. Strawberry plant-‘Joe productin in Oregon. Ore. State College Agr. simply retire since 1988. He assisted me in the Expt. Sta. Bul. 442. early years of my tenure as head plant breeder Reiter’. U.S. Plant Patent 5,300. Johnson, Jr., H.A.. 1990. The contributions of Wilhelm, S. and J.E. Sagen. 1974. A history of the at DSA, not only providing insight based on private strawberry breeders. HortScience strawberry from ancient gardens to modern his years of experience but also taking off my 25:897–902. markets. Univ. Calif. Div. Agr. Sci., Berkeley, shoulders some of the less-enjoyable tasks such Johnson, Jr., H.A., T.M. Sjulin, A.Q. Amorao, and Calif. as preparing patent documents. This allowed J.I. Espejo, Jr. 1991. Strawberry plant named Wilhelm, S. 1954. California’s foremost strawberry me to focus on the plant breeding effort and ‘E26’. U.S. Plant Patent 7,522. breeder. Amer. Fruit Grow. 74:12A, 12D.

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