Strawberries are originally short-day plants, and in Japan they form flower buds in the low-temperature short-day autumn, and after dormancy in the winter, they seem to bloom and bear fruit in the spring. Forcing cultivation using facilities has progressed and harvesting from November has become possible, but since flower buds do not form in spring and summer, which are high temperature long day conditions, harvesting from summer to autumn Seems to be difficult. However, some seem to have the trait of ever-bearing that forms flower buds even under high temperature and long days. Breeding in Japan seems to have focused on seasonal varieties. In addition, the history of breeding ever-bearing varieties is short, and “Oishi ever-bearing No. 1 Strawberry” was first registered in 1954, then “Miyoshi Strawberry” in 1987, “Summerberry Strawberry” in 1988, and in 1991. “Everberry Strawberry” was registered, but it seems that only a few varieties were bred. In recent years, some private seed companies have started to grow stoves, and in 1995, “Petika Strawberry” was registered, and after that, “HS-138 Strawberry”, “Natsunko Strawberry”, “Summer Ruby Strawberry”, etc. have been cultivated one after another.
The strawberry “KIRAPIKA Strawberry” cultivated by Shizuoka Prefecture seems to be handled with the brand establishment in mind, such as limited production within the prefecture and general cultivation from 2017. A variety registration application was filed in August 2014, and the variety was registered on February 6, 2017. Only producers who have a license agreement can cultivate, and in September 2015, the prefecture and the Shizuoka Prefecture Strawberry Council signed a license agreement, and it seems that the cultivation is currently being carried out by co-market producers. For those who cultivate “KIRAPIKA Strawberry” in the license agreement, the seedlings are used only for the purpose of self-propagation and production of harvested products, and to third parties (including overseas) regardless of whether they are paid or free of charge. You are required to submit a written oath regarding not transferring seedlings.
If cultivated without permission, you may be subject to civil claims or criminal penalties if you violate the Seed and Seedling Law. Civil claims require suspension of production and sales of the varieties, compensation for damages suffered by breeders’rights due to unauthorized use, and measures to recover the credit deterioration suffered by breeders’ rights due to unauthorized use. There seems to be a case. In addition, criminal penalties (in the case of intentional offenses) may result in imprisonment of up to 10 years or a fine of up to 10 million yen (in the case of a corporation, a fine of up to 300 million yen). Regarding this excellent agricultural product “KIRAPIKA Strawberry”, Shizuoka Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Technology Research Institute (Iwata City) has developed a variety identification technology by genetic diagnosis, and it seems that it is possible to distinguish it from 125 varieties in Japan. Therefore, it seems that it can be proved if it is cultivated without permission.