UC Keystone is a high-performing day-neutral strawberry from UC Davis, released in 2023, distinguished by strong mid-to-late season yield accumulation and balanced vegetative vigour. Its robust canopy supports sustained production, while controlled runner development enhances crop management. The variety offers resistance to Fusarium wilt and moderate resistance to Verticillium wilt and Phytophthora crown rot. In multi-location commercial trials, UC Keystone achieved the highest cumulative marketable yields among evaluated cultivars, producing firm fruit with an outstanding sweetness profile for premium fresh-market programs.ketable yields among evaluated cultivars, while maintaining firm fruit and an excellent sweetness balance.
with continuous flowering
Elevated TSS/TA ratio (11.01) supporting strong perceived sweetness
(between UCD Moxie and Monterey types)
Rupert Hargreaves
Use the dropdown below to select a trait and compare performance across our strawberry varieties. Compare key commercial characteristics across our strawberry genetics, including disease resistance, yield performance, fruit firmness, fruit size, and market suitability.
R – Resistant, S – Susceptible, MR – Moderate Resistance, MS – Moderate Susceptibility, ND – Not Determined
*UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program (2015–2024). Multi-year trial data (Oxnard, Santa María, Watsonville
1. UC Davis Strawberry Breeding Program (2015–2024). Multi-year trial data (Oxnard, Santa María, Watsonville).
2. Cal Poly Strawberry Center Field Day Handout (Lompoc, May 2024), Tables 1–3.
3. HortScience 58(12): ‘UC Eclipse – A Summer-Plant Photoperiod-Insensitive Strawberry Cultivar’ (2023).
4. HortScience 60(6): ‘UC Surfline – A Short-Day Cultivar with High Early and Sustained Fruit Yields’ (2025).
5. UC Davis Variety Release Sheet: UCD Royal Royce (2019).
6. Coronda Berry Congress 2025 Presentations (Argentina): Slides pp. 5–6 (Royal Royce), pp. 9–10 (Surfline), pp. 13–15 (Eclipse).
7. UC Davis Office of Technology Transfer – Plant Licensing Program (2024).
8. Knapp S. J., Cole G., Brown A., Feldmann M. (2020–2024). UC Davis Strawberry Program Breeding Summaries.
9. Cal Poly and UC Davis joint field reports (2021–2023): Oxnard and Santa María yield summaries.
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