ISHS Acta Horticulturae 538: Eucarpia symposium on Fruit Breeding and Genetics
SMALL FRUIT BREEDING IN LATVIA |
| Authors: | S. Strautina, G. Lacis |
| Keywords: | gooseberry, currant, interspecific hybridisation, raspberry, strawberry |
| Abstract:
In Latvia, successful plant breeding programs have been conducted in several small fruit crops. Gooseberry breeding continued from the 1930ies to the 1970ies. The varieties selected by local breeders – ‘Koknese’, ‘Veldze’, ‘Perse’ (A. Viksne), ‘Kursu Dzintars’, ‘Parsla’ (V. Sterns) still form the basis of the gooseberry assortment in Latvia, having good resistance to mildew, as well as productivity and hardiness. A. Viksne has also worked intermittently in currant breeding. His red currant variety ‘Viksnes Sarkanas’ is included in the Latvian variety assortment for commercial growing. The most important work in black currant breeding has been done at the National Botanical Gardens, Salaspils (NBG), in the 1960ies – 1990ies. The main method of breeding was interspecific hybridisation, involving the species Ribes dikuscha, R. fontaneum, R. pauciflorum, R. petiolare, R. bracteosum. Fertile hybrids were obtained by repeated crossing, making a valuable breeding material. The NBG selections are used in further hybridisation at the Dobele HPBES. Some raspberry breeding has been conducted at the Dobele HPBES since the 1960ies. The parent material is chosen from local advanced hybrids and introduced varieties suitable to the Latvian conditions. At present, 3 varieties have been obtained, that are suitable for home gardens: ‘Ivars’, ‘Dita’ and ‘Arta’. In the future, more emphasis will be placed on the suitability of berries for freezing and multipurpose processing. Not much has been achieved in strawberry breeding. Of the varieties developed by P. Upitis at the Dobele HPBES, ‘Junija Smaids’ is of some importance. It is an early, very winterhardy, adaptable and productive variety. Its main drawbacks are lack of firmness of berries, light colour and mediocre flavour. | |
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