ISHS Acta Horticulturae 505: VII International Symposium on Rubus and Ribes
THE BLACKBERRY BREEDING PROGRAM AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS: THIRTY-PLUS YEARS OF PROGRESS AND DEVELOPMENTS FOR THE FUTURE |
| Author: | John R. Clark |
| Keywords: | Rubus spp., small fruit breeding |
| Abstract:
Dr Jim Moore began the University of Arkansas blackberry (Rubus subgenus Rubus) breeding program in 1964, and since then eight improved cultivars have been released: ‘Cherokee’, ‘Comanche’, ‘Cheyenne’, ‘Shawnee’, ‘Choctaw’, ‘Navaho’, ‘Arapaho’ and ‘Kiowa’. Major objectives of the breeding program included plant characteristics such as erect growth habit, thornlessness, adaptation to the upper south and midwest of the United States, mechanical harvesting capability, high disease resistance and productivity. Fruit improvement objectives included large fruit size, good flavor, firmness and high fertility. The first thornless, erect cultivars, ‘Navaho’ and ‘Arapaho’, were released in 1988 and 1993, respectively. Prospects for the future of the Arkansas program include improved thornless, erect cultivars with larger fruit size and higher productivity, enhanced fruit firmness and postharvest handling capability, and primocane fruiting. | |
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