A morning dedicated to strawberries, the queen of berries, at Macfrut. On May 8th, the final day of the Rimini Fair, at the Berry Area, researchers and companies will discuss the main trends in strawberry cultivation during an event titled ‘Strawberry Trend’, scheduled for 11:00 AM.
According to the latest data provided by CSO Italy, strawberries will cover 4,200 hectares in Italy this year. Cultivation is concentrated in Campania and Basilicata, and in recent years there has been a growing trend in the area invested, especially in the South.
From genetic innovation to market analysis and agronomic innovations, stakeholders will get a comprehensive overview of updates and trends during the third day of Macfrut.
“We hope to engage an audience of researchers, but above all, companies, farmers, nurserymen, and commercial operators,” said Bruno Mezzetti, Professor of Arboriculture at the Marche Polytechnic University and scientific coordinator of the Berry Area, to Italian Berry.
Days Dedicated to Strawberries
While May 8th will be the key date for strawberries at the Berry Area — gathering leading berry companies and research institutions — both May 6th and 7th will also feature events focused on strawberries.
Throughout the three-day event, a pomological exhibition will be set up at pavilion A1-001 of the Rimini Fair, curated by CREA OFA of Forlì: “Thanks to Macfrut being held in early May,” Mezzetti told us, “we will be able to see the most interesting early varieties from the South and Central North. Around 65–70% of Italy's strawberry production will be on display.”
The topics to be discussed during the ‘Strawberry Trend’ event are diverse, with some areas covered in depth: “From the concept of nutritional and sensory quality to new varieties and cultivation techniques, with strong focus on water-related issues,” explained the professor to Italian Berry.
There is much debate in the industry about the need to focus more on quality, even during genetic improvement. The international European project ‘Breeding Value’, which will be discussed in detail on May 7th, has even dedicated a specific work package to this issue.
Quality, Research, and Consumers
Stefano Predieri, head of the CNR research group ‘Taste, Health, Quality’, will present a report on May 8th titled ‘Survey Breeding Value: The European Strawberry Consumer’, followed in the afternoon by a consumer tasting session.
“The focus on nutritional and sensory quality will help better define the concept of fruit quality and show how quality is being approached today. In terms of breeding,” Mezzetti added, “we’ve reached the peak of production capacity. Now, the focus needs to shift to quality, as there are so many varieties available.
In 2019 alone, there were 40 varieties registered at the CPVO (Community Plant Variety Office). On average, there are 20 to 30 new strawberry varieties registered each year — an impressive number.”
While farmers are happy to achieve high yields, if strawberries do not meet certain standards or are not clearly distinguishable, they struggle to gain market recognition, and thus a good price.
New Varieties and Climate Change
Speaking of genetic improvement, the Berry Area will also host company presentations. On May 7th at 5:30 PM, Nova Siri Genetics will showcase its 11 varieties with breeder Nicola Tufaro. The following day, at 10:00 AM, there will be a focus on the Rossetta variety.
The new NSG strawberry is enjoying good success. This year, it was propagated by licensed nurseries for 17 million plants, nearly double compared to last year.
For a full overview of the latest national strawberry varieties, the appointment is again with Gianluca Baruzzi, researcher at CREA OFA of Forlì, during the ‘Strawberry Trend’ event.
To assess how the strawberry season is progressing, a round table is scheduled for May 6th at 3:30 PM, followed by a presentation by Gianluca Baruzzi.
Water, Climate, and International Collaboration
No discussion of strawberry cultivation would be complete without addressing the issues posed by climate change. As part of the ‘Strawberry Trend’ event, Bartolomeo Di Chio and Alba Mininni (UniBasilicata) will focus on water stress management.
“Strawberries require a lot of water,” said Prof. Mezzetti, “and this is becoming a problem, especially in Southern areas where thousands of hectares are cultivated.”
Depending on environment, cultivation technique, and variety, water use can reach up to 6,000 cubic meters per hectare.
The issue of water supply is significant. Among the solutions to be discussed is the precise management of water, using probes and monitoring systems.
It is also crucial to work on genetic improvement to develop more resilient varieties from this point of view.”
In terms of cultivation techniques, there will also be an interesting exchange with French producers: Invenio, a research station founded by French growers, will present its solutions during a session titled ‘Invenio, the French association of growers for strawberry breeding: innovations and solutions for all the actors’, scheduled at the end of ‘Strawberry Trend’ on May 8th at 12:20 PM.
Berry AreaThis article is part of a series dedicated to Berry Area in co-operation with Macfrut 2025. This content is in support of the event which will take place May 6-8, 2025 in Rimini Expo Centre, where the Berry Area stands as a reference point for all those seeking innovative solutions for the production and marketing of berries. 👉 Learn more about the Berry Area at this link. |
