Abstract

The efficiency of machine decapping of strawberries was found to be related to the force required to remove the calyces, to the presence of necked fruit and to pedicel length and strength. Selection 65L111 was superior to 9 other genotypes tested because of its easily removed calyces, distinctly necked fruit and long and strong pedicels. These characteristics permitted decapping by both the roller and the knife mechanisms of the machine decapper. Cambridge Favourite, 66F115 and 69DZ66 have easily removed calyces and were, therefore, partially decapped by the machine rollers, but having short pedicels and non-necked fruits they were not easily decapped by the knife. Saladin, Silver Jubilee, Tantallon and 65G67 were suitable only for knife decapping, their calyces being difficult to remove.