Strawberry breeding for resistance to Verticillium wilt

Evaluation of resistance/susceptibility to Verticillium wilt of strawberry germplasm obtained during a 20 year breeding program supported by the Italian Ministry of Agriculture was made. An improved method for screening strawberry resistance to Verticillium was also set up. The results of this research activity have contributed to the enlargement of Verticillium wilt resistance background in the newly produced strawberry breeding material and the release of new strawberry cultivars possessing high levels of resistance to Verticillium dahliae.