Primadonna

Primadonna is early and has machine harvesting potential.

Cultivar name: Primadonna

Recommended for Florida: no

FL region best adapted to: none

Production system: deciduous

Hydrogen cyanamide: recommended; sensitive, requires a very low dose

Machine Harvestability: Possible; performed well in grower-reported machine harvesting

Per plant yields (Density 1,452-1,742 plants/acre):

o North-central FL (2019): 6.9 lbs/plant

Known disease susceptibility: Botryosphaeria stem blight

Known insect damage susceptibility: none observed to date

Fruit quality data:

o Fruit firmness: 203 – 228 g/mm, average 217 g/mm, higher than Emerald

o Berry Weight: 2.1 – 2.6 grams, average 2.3 grams, similar to Emerald

o Berry Diameter: 17.0 mm, smaller than Emerald

o Brix: 11.3 – 12.9, average 12.1, higher than Emerald

o Brix/Acid Ratio: 29.1 – 87.5, average 58.9, much higher than Emerald

o Fruit scar: normal (small and dry), similar to Emerald

o Wax/bloom: medium, similar to Emerald

o Fruit defects: none observed

o Flavor Score 24.3 – reference Emerald (19.9), Kestrel (29.2)

o Aroma: low

Cultivars with overlapping timing of flowering: Emerald, Farthing, Jewel, Magnus, Meadowlark

Other information: good natural leafing, mid-size berry may not be preferred by pickers, may require freeze protection in January

License availability: For a list of current nursery licensees in the USA, click here