**8. Artificial hybrids,** *Fragaria moschata F. bifera*

The hybrid species *F*. *bifera* (syn. *F*. *hagenbachiana*) is a morphologically variable, intermediate of its parental species, and variably fertile (**Figure 15**). The hybrid species may also include backcross derivatives with the parental species. Principally, the F1 hybrids from the cross *F*. *moschata F*. *bifera* in my experiments resembled

*Hermaphroditism in* Fragaria moschata*, a Cultivated Strawberry Species… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.103974*

#### **Figure 15.**

*A fairly fertile* Fragaria bifera *(interspecific hybrid of* F*.* vesca *and* F*.* viridis*) was used as the pollen parents in crosses with* F*.* moschata*. The loose berries fell accidentally from the plant, while removing the metal network (mesh 12 mm) sheltering from local white tail deers, roes and moles. July 13, 2019.*

those of the *F*. *moschata F. viridis* hybrids. The berry flavor of the hybrids is usually strong having taste of both the parents and varies from sweet to sour. The fragrance and sweetness of the delicate berries (**Figure 16**) also attract flying insects, a disadvantage in free-land growing. In *F*. *moschata* and its hybrids the senescence of leaves begins after flowering (**Figures 17** and **18**). Only hermaphrodites and males were obtained in F1 (**Table 4**).

#### **Figure 16.**

*Sweet and fragrant berries set with self-pollination under the tight isolation bag in the F1 hybrid of* Fragaria moschata F. bifera*. Good fertility is revealed by the high seed set. Note the mode of the detachment and pinkish inner of the berry. Total fresh mass from the single inflorescence 33.5 g. Scale digits millimeters. June 19, 2020.*

#### **Figure 17.**

*An F1 hybrid of* Fragaria moschata *('Loimaa')* F. bifera *at anthesis. The leaves stay dark-green up to flowering. June 16, 2021.*

#### **Figure 18.**

*The F1 hybrid of* Fragaria moschata F. bifera *of Figure 17 at maturity. The senescence of the leaves begins at the berry set. July 13, 2021.*


#### **Table 4.**

*F1 progenies of the crosses of the hermaphroditic* Fragaria moschata *'Loimaa' with the hermaphroditic pollen parent* F. bifera*.*

The 31: 18 ratio has a poor fit to 1: 1, χ<sup>2</sup> = 3.449, df = 1, p = 0.063. The 31: 18 ratio does not differ significant from the 67: 26 ratio of the *F*. *moschata* 'Loimaa' *F. viridis* progeny (**Table 3**), χ<sup>2</sup> = 0.782, df = 1, p = 0.376.

*Hermaphroditism in* Fragaria moschata*, a Cultivated Strawberry Species… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.103974*
