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Parentage
Pegasus was raised in 1977 from the cross Redgauntlet x Gorella.
Fruit Quality
The berries are very attractive with a regular shape and bright,
glossy skin finish. The skin is strong, giving good resistance to
damage during handling. The texture is juicy and the flavour
pleasantly sweet, but not strong.
Yield & Fruit Size
In trials Pegasus has consistently produced a class 1 yield within
10% either side of that for Elsanta. Fruit size is also similar to
Elsanta and it is maintained well in the second cropping year.
Marketing Suitability
Pegasus tends to darken more quickly than Elsanta post harvest but
in other respects the shelf life is similar and it has been
successfully test marketed to supermarkets as well as wholesalers. The
lower inputs required to grow Pegasus also make it attractive to
pick-your-own growers.
Plant Characteristics
The plants are moderately vigorous with an erect habit. The fruit
is well displayed and easy to pick. Best trial results have been
obtained where Pegasus has been grown on medium or heavy soils.
Disease Resistance
Pegasus has a good level of resistance to both wilt (Verticillium
dahliae) and crown rot (Phytophthora cactorum). It has some race
specific resistance to red core (Phytophthora fragariae). It is
moderately susceptible to powdery mildew (Sphaerotheca macularis) but
other airborne fungal leaf diseases have not been observed to cause
problems in field plantings.
Use of the Variety
Pegasus is a dessert variety and is particularly useful where there
are problems with wilt (Verticillium dahliae) and/or crown rot (Phytophthora
cactorum). Although the fruit is slightly softer than Elsanta, Pegasus
has the advantages of not being prone to produce distorted green tips,
or to splitting in a wet season. The inherent disease resistance of
Pegasus means that it can be grown satisfactorily using a lower input
system than that necessary for Elsanta.
Accreditations
The breeding of this variety was jointly funded by the
Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), MEIOSIS
Ltd and the East Malling Trust for Horticultural Research. The
trialling of this variety was funded by MEIOSIS Ltd and the
Horticultural Development Council (HDC).
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