Ohalo, a biotechnology company focuses on developing novel breeding systems, has announced the establishment of the Ohalo Strawberry Consortium, a collaborative initiative with leading strawberry industry partners to enhance strawberry breeding. The consortium’s objective is to introduce improved strawberry varieties as true seed, making them more flavorful and accessible while providing economic and environmental benefits to farmers.
The Ohalo Strawberry Consortium brings together key players in the strawberry sector, including BlazerWilkinsonGee, California Giant Berry Farms, Central West Produce, Crown Nursery, Naturipe Berry Growers, Wish Farms, and others. These partners are investing in the development and deployment of new breeding technologies that will shape the future of strawberry farming.
“We are thrilled to collaborate with these leading strawberry growers, packers, and marketers to introduce more flavorful, sustainable, and economically valuable strawberry varieties as true seed. With these partners, we can accelerate the adoption of improved breeding methods that benefit farmers, retailers, consumers, and the environment.”
The Shift to True Seed
Traditionally, strawberry plants are propagated through a time-intensive and costly vegetative process, where runner shoots are cut and replanted multiple times before they reach the fields. Ohalo’s proprietary hybrid plant breeding system eliminates this step by producing uniform strawberry seeds that can germinate directly into field-ready plants.
This innovation is expected to reduce production costs, streamline nursery operations, and minimize pesticide use, ultimately creating a more sustainable and efficient strawberry farming system.
The breeding efforts for the consortium will be led by Dr. Philip Stewart, a renowned expert in strawberry genetics, who has joined Ohalo after a 17-year tenure at Driscoll’s, where he led global strawberry breeding.
“For years, consumers have been asking for strawberries with better flavor throughout the year, retailers have sought more consistent fruit quality and longer shelf life, and farmers have faced challenges related to disease pressures, increasing production costs, and labor shortages,” said Stewart. “These competing demands have often required trade-offs, reducing flavor, shelf life, or yield in favor of other priorities. With our hybrid breeding system, we will be able to deliver improved strawberry varieties that benefit the entire supply chain.”
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Traditional strawberry breeding has been limited by genetic unpredictability, with each new generation producing random combinations of traits. Ohalo’s non-GMO hybrid breeding system enables precise control over genetic outcomes, allowing for more rapid improvements in strawberry varieties.
The first varieties developed through the consortium are expected to enter field trials next year, with commercial availability to follow.
Expanding Access to Improved Varieties
Unlike conventional breeding programs that limit access to new varieties, the Ohalo Strawberry Consortium aims to distribute its improved strawberry varieties globally as true seed. This approach ensures that farmers of all scales and in various regions can benefit from advancements in breeding efficiency and crop performance.
The consortium has garnered strong backing from prominent industry stakeholders who recognize the value of innovation in strawberry production. “Partnering with Ohalo made perfect sense,” said Gary Wishnatzki, owner of Wish Farms. “We are excited to join forces with Ohalo and other leading strawberry businesses to drive meaningful improvements in the industry.”
With its focus on improving strawberry breeding through true seed technology, the Ohalo Strawberry Consortium is poised to enhance productivity, resilience, and fruit quality. This initiative marks a new chapter in the global strawberry market, promising benefits for growers, retailers, and consumers alike.
