Rocco Strawberry
June-bearing strawberry with high soluble solid content
Perfect strawberry for u-picks and fresh market. Can be an alternative to Sweet Charlie for early production.
Characteristics
- Early season ripening
- High soluble solids content
- Firmness: moderately soft
- Fruit size: medium (14.5 – 20.3 g)
- Fruit external color: 53A
- Flesh color: 47A
Yield
Rocco is a short-day cultivar adapted to the Southeastern US and was consistently among the first cultivars to ripen in our trials. Yield of Rocco is comparable to cultivars that ripen later in the season. Rocco continued to produce fruit in subsequent weeks and peaked at the same time as Chandler.
Yield comparisons
- Rocco ≥ Camarosa
- Rocco = Chandler
- Rocco ≥ Sweet Charlie
- Rocco < Liz
Cultivar Development
Rocco was selected in 2010 from open-pollinated seeds of fruit from the female parent NCH 05-73P and was tested as NCS 10-156. The female parent was an unreleased selection that was made to improve and diversify the germplasm base of the NCSU breeding program gene pool. Rocco has a genetic background that includes Northeaster from the USDA-ARS in Beltsville, MD, and selections from USDA-ARS in Poplarville, MS. Rocco has two sources of Fragaria chiloensis germplasm. This germplasm was from wild material collected in the Pacific Northwest as well as from southern Chile in South America.
How to Get Rocco
Information regarding obtaining propagules, licensing, or a list of nurseries is available from:
