RED RHAPSODY
Suited to Sub-Tropical & Mediterranean Growing Regions
Bred by the Australian Strawberry Breeding Program (QDAF)
RED RHAPSODY
Performance
- Red Rhapsody is the most popular Australian Strawberry Breeding Program (ASBP) sub-tropical variety, and also performs well in Mediterranean regions
- This variety has high yields, large fruit size and uniform shape, and is easy to pick and pack
Growth habit
- Red Rhapsody plants are small, sparse, and sturdy with a spreading habit
Growing notes
- Red Rhapsody should be planted in mid-March in Queensland for the best results
- Red Rhapsody requires constant nutrition, and it is important to do soil and leaf analyses
- Cold weather slows down the fruiting cycles of Red Rhapsody
- In the right circumstances, Red Rhapsody does not produce very high peaks and troughs, but is a steady producer
- In sandy soils as in WA, it is important to provide calcium and boron which are taken up passively in the evapotranspiration stream – this will improve shelf life
- When grown correctly, Red Rhapsody has an excellent shelf life
- Ensure the correct picking cycle to avoid fruit going too dark
- Some growers pick when there are two rings of seeds at the fruit base forming a white shoulder
- Red Rhapsody has been exported without issues – the fruit has firm flesh
This information has been collated and provided by Australasian Plant Genetics based on feedback from growers. Australasian Plant Genetics shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information.
Regional suitability
- Red Rhapsody is well suited to commercial production across all sub-tropical growing regions: Bundaberg, Sunshine Coast and Greater Brisbane
- It also performs well in Mediterranean regions around Perth, Western Australia
Pest & disease resistance
| TOLERANT | MODERATELY TOLERANT | MODERATELY SUSCEPTIBLE | SUSCEPTIBLE | UNKNOWN | |
| Charcoal rot | 🍓 | ||||
| Colletotrichum crown rot | 🍓 | ||||
| Fusarium wilt | 🍓 | ||||
| Powdery mildew | 🍓 |
Red Rhapsody-ASBP is a proven performer sub-tropical variety released by the Australian Strawberry Breeding Program (ASBP)
Variety characteristics
Radar chart comparing Red Rhapsody-ASBP (pink polygon) with Florida Festival (red line). The centre of the plot represents the lowest value for each trait, and the outside line of the plot represents the highest value for that trait from our trials.
Availability
This variety has Protection under the Australian Plant Breeders’ Rights Act (PBR Act) and has been sub-licensed to Authorised Propagators for plug plant and runner production.
A Royalty Fee is included in the runner purchase price and the Commercial fruit producer will be required to sign a Non-Propagation agreement before accepting delivery of runners.
100% of the Royalty collected is passed back to the Intellectual Property owners (QDAF & Hort Innovation). QDAF’s share is reinvested back into the ASBP i.e. it pays staff salaries, and the Hort Innovation share is added to the Strawberry Fund where it is directed into strawberry industry R, D&E projects, as determined by the industry and Hort Innovation through the industry consultation mechanisms.
Australasian Plant Genetics is paid a small fee by Hort Innovation for managing the commercial arrangements relating to this variety.
Disclaimer
The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The Queensland Government, Hort Innovation, and Australasian Plant Genetics shall not be liable for technical or other errors or omissions contained herein. The reader/user accepts all risks and responsibility for losses, damages, costs and other consequences resulting directly or indirectly from using this information.
Acknowledgements
The development of this variety has been funded using the strawberry research levy and contributions from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.
The information provided here and in the accompanying Fact Sheet was developed by Australasian Plant Genetics in conjunction with Jodi Neal, Katie O’Connor, and the wider team from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
© State of Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Australasian Plant Genetics and Hort Innovation, 2022.
