Abstract
The strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is an octoploid species derived from the hybridization of two wild octoploid species, Fragaria chiloensis and Fragaria virginiana, in the middle of the 1700s in a botanical garden of Versailles in France. This chapter describes the history of strawberry breeding and discusses the modern breeding activities, focusing on yield, harvesting time, fruiting habit, average fruit weight, organoleptic quality of fruit, and pest and disease resistance. Future breeding programmes are mentioned, as well as the main breeding programmes and the released cultivars worldwide.