===== PAGE 1 ===== ## KSU Blackberry Trial Update
Image
Inspiring Innovation. Growing Leaders. Advancing Kentucky. Jeremy Lowe and Kirk W. Pomper Kentucky State University
Image
===== PAGE 2 ===== ## Introduction Rubus • Native to Kentucky Historically wild harvested • The official State Fruit • “U-pick” • Small commercial production • 110 acres in Kentucky in 2002 • Interest increasing
Image
===== PAGE 3 ===== ## Blackberry Terminology • Canes: Stems of bramble plants • Canes last for two seasons, then die • Primocane: A bramble cane going through its first year of growth • Floricane: A bramble cane going through its second year of growth • Most blackberries are floricane fruiting • Some blackberries are primocane fruiting ===== PAGE 4 ===== ## Blackberry Types & Cultivars Erect Thorny - Cherokee - Shawnee - Chickasaw* - Kiowa ## • Erect Thornless - Apache* - Ouachita* - Semi-erect Thornl - Hull Thornless - Triple Crown* - Chester - Trailing - Boysen (not hardy) - Marion (not hardy) - Primocane Fruiting, Thorny - Prime-Jan* - Prime-Jim* ===== PAGE 5 ===== ## Apache • Erect thornless • Ripens after Ouachita • Very attractive, largest thornless erect berry, 8-10 g, size remains large all season • No sterile drupelets - Very good flavor and sweetness, 9.8% SS, stores well - Highest yielding of erect thornless varieties • Vigorous plant - Problem with white drupelets - Tolerant to rosette, no orange rust observed
Image
===== PAGE 6 ===== ## Ouachita • Erect thornless Earlier than Apache with similar hardiness • Attractive 6-7g berry • Excellent flavor, 10+% soluble solids • Excellent yields Good post harvest handling • Vigorous plant • Resistant to rosette, no orange rust reported
Image
===== PAGE 7 ===== ## Chickasaw • Erect thorny • Season - mid • Yield - high • Fruit size - large 11 g - Flavor - excellent 9.6% Moderately hardy • Excellent flower and fruit fertility, very attractive berry Moderately resistant to anthracnose, no orange rust observed, unknown rosette
Image
Photo from University of Arkansas Data from Dr. John Strang University of Kentucky ===== PAGE 8 ===== ## Triple Crown • Ripens with or slightly after Hull Thornless • Attractive, largest thornless semi-erect berry, 7.6 g • Very good sweet aromatic flavor with pleasant aftertaste, 11.1% SS - Lower yields than Chester and Hull - Berries firm, but do not hold up as well as Chester and Hull • Resistant to rosette, orange rust, and phytophthora
Image
===== PAGE 9 ===== ## Prime Jim & Jan • Performance very variable due to location - In Aug. and early Sept., 5 days of 85 F or more reduces yield, fruit size and quality. - No understanding of hardiness, survived 10 F • Fruit are 2-10 g • Plants produced fruit up into November in Kentucky with the 2004 mild fall • Fruit set problems with hot temperatures ===== PAGE 10 ===== ## Prime Jim & Jan • Recommended for home gardeners now and for very limited commercial trial • Fruit do not have the shipping characteristics of the thornless erect blackberries. • Considerably improved thorny and thornless varieties will be available in the next 4-6 years. ===== PAGE 11 ===== ## Growing Blackberries
Image
===== PAGE 12 ===== ## Weed Control ## • Manual - Hand - Hoe - Weedeater - Mulching - Straw - Hay - Wood chips
Image
===== PAGE 13 ===== ## Irrigation - Lack of water seriously reduces yields • Require 1" water/wk during growing season • Best to irrigate throughout entire season - Irrigation very important after harvest - Without irrigation, more severe pruning improves berry size
Image
===== PAGE 14 ===== ## Tipping • Increases lateral growth • Increases flowering and fruit set • Makes plants more manageable Tipping of Prime-Jim and Prime-Jan is very important (canes will grow tall) - Tipped by hand at a height of 1 meter ===== PAGE 15 =====
Image
===== PAGE 16 =====
Image
===== PAGE 17 ===== ## White Tail Deer • Browse damage • Electric fencing
Image
Image
Image
===== PAGE 18 ===== ## Red-Necked Cane Borer • Adults lay covered eggs - Larvae exit egg directly into plant - Not exposed to pesticides - Larvae move into pith and downward - Larvae over winter in cane • Pupate in April - Adult emerges in 20-40 days
Image
Image
Data from Dr. John Strang University of Kentucky ===== PAGE 19 ===== ## Japanese Beetle • Damages both foliage and fruit • Appearing in orchards now
Image
Image
Image
===== PAGE 20 ===== ## Tarnished Plant Bug
Image
Image
===== PAGE 21 ===== ## White Drupelets
Image
Sunburn-often a problem on Apache ===== PAGE 22 ===== ## Aphids
Image
uwave The uwave the uwave the uwave the $ \uwave{\text
Image
===== PAGE 23 ===== ## Ladybeetle
Image
Image
Image
===== PAGE 24 ===== ## Virus
Image
===== PAGE 25 ===== ## Orange Rust - Remove and destroy infected plants
Image
===== PAGE 26 ===== ## Crown Gall - Dig out and remove infected plants
Image
Photo from Dr. John Strang University of Kentucky ===== PAGE 27 ===== ## Blackberry Harvest • Thorny - June 15-July 15 • Thornless erect - June 16-Aug. 5 • Thornless semi erect - July 1- Sept. 1 - Primocane fruiting - Late August-frost • Avoid harvesting wet berries • Pick gently lifting berries with thumb and fingers - When harvesting for sale, don't pick fruit when dead ripe ===== PAGE 28 ===== ## Blackberry Harvest Harvest interval - 3-5 day interval at first - 1-2 day interval at peak harvest Harvest quantity - 10 lb/hr experienced picker - 14 lb/hr excellent - 6-7 lb/hr less effective harvesters - 8-10 pickers/A at maximum production ===== PAGE 29 ===== ## Blackberry Quality Maintenance • Place berries in shade immediately after harvest • Refrigerate 40 to 60 minutes after harvest - Cool to 32 to 40 F at a high relative humidity • Each hour delay in getting berries refrigerated reduces storage life by one day. ===== PAGE 30 ===== ## KSU Blackberry Variety Trial • Advanced selections from the University of Arkansas • Primocane fruiting • Floricane fruiting • Commercially available primocane and floricane fruiting varieties. ===== PAGE 31 ===== ## Blackberry Trial Map
border row 1border row 2Block 1Block 2Block 3Block 4border row 112 rows comprise 1 block
row 3row 4row 5row 6row 7row 8row 9row 1014 ft between rows
Triple CrownApacheTriple CrownPrime JanHeritagePrime JimPrime JimHeritageTriple CrownPrime JanApache11 rows (8 rows in variety trial, 3 border rows)
Triple CrownApacheTriple CrownPrime JanHeritagePrime JimPrime JimHeritageTriple CrownPrime JanApache= 140 ft wide planting (E-W)
Triple CrownApacheTriple CrownPrime JanHeritagePrime JimPrime JimHeritageTriple CrownPrime JanApache
ChickasawApacheTriple CrownPrime JanHeritagePrime JimPrime JimHeritageTriple CrownPrime JanApache
extra?ApacheTriple CrownPrime JanHeritagePrime JimPrime JimHeritageTriple CrownPrime JanApache2 ft between plants within a row
5 ft between groups of 5 plants within a row
Triple CrownTriple CrownApacheAPF-40APF-46APF-40Prime JanApachePrime JimAPF-46A-2215T7 groups of 5 plants in each row
Triple CrownTriple CrownApacheAPF-40APF-46APF-40Prime JanApachePrime JimAPF-46A-2215T(5 grps/ 5 variety trial, 2 grps/five border)
Triple CrownTriple CrownApacheAPF-40APF-46APF-40Prime JanApachePrime JimAPF-46A-2215T= 86 ft long planting (N-S)
ChickasawTriple CrownApacheAPF-40APF-46APF-40Prime JanApachePrime JimAPF-46A-2215T
extra?Triple CrownApacheAPF-40APF-46APF-40Prime JanApachePrime JimAPF-46A-2215Tcode no.
1A-1937T
Prime JanA-1937TAPF-41ChickasawAPF-77ApachePrime JimAPF-46APF-40APF-41Triple Crown2
Prime JanA-1937TAPF-41ChickasawAPF-77ApachePrime JimAPF-46APF-40APF-41Triple Crown3
Prime JanA-1937TAPF-41ChickasawAPF-77ApachePrime JimAPF-46APF-40APF-41Triple Crown4
Prime JanA-1937TAPF-41ChickasawAPF-77ApachePrime JimAPF-46APF-40APF-41Triple Crown5
extra?APF-27APF-41ChickasawAPF-77ApachePrime JimAPF-46APF-40APF-41Triple Crown6
extra?APF-27APF-41APF-42Prime JimPrime JanAPF-40APF-77APF-77APF-42APF-41APF-40
Prime JimA-2215TAPF-27APF-42Prime JimPrime JanAPF-40APF-77APF-77APF-42APF-41APF-42
Prime JimA-2215TAPF-27APF-42Prime JimPrime JanAPF-40APF-77APF-77APF-42APF-42APF-42
Prime JimA-2215TAPF-27APF-42Prime JimPrime JanAPF-40APF-77APF-77APF-42APF-42APF-42
Prime JimA-2215TAPF-27APF-42Prime JimPrime JanAPF-40APF-77APF-77APF-42APF-42APF-42
extra?APF-27APF-42APF-42APF-42APF-42APF-40APF-77APF-77APF-42APF-42APF-42
TC (KSU)A-2241TPrime JimAPF-46APF-42ChickasawAPF-27APF-42ChickasawPrime JanA-1937T14
TC (KSU)A-2241TPrime JimAPF-46APF-42ChickasawAPF-27APF-42ChickasawPrime JanA-1937T15
TC (KSU)A-2241TPrime JimAPF-46APF-42ChickasawAPF-27APF-42ChickasawPrime JanA-1937T16
TC (KSU)A-2241TAPF-46APF-42APF-42APF-27APF-42APF-42ChickasawPrime JanAPF-42APF-42
extra?APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-42APF-27APF-42APF-42ChickasawAPF-27APF-42APF-42
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-41APF-27APF-27APF-27APF-27
PT (KSU)APF-27APF-46APF-42APF-41APF-41<ecel>
===== PAGE 32 ===== ## First Year Survival & Vigor • Taken in October 2006 • Survival • Number of canes • Number of flowering/fruiting canes • Vigor ===== PAGE 33 ===== ## First Year Survival & Vigor
SelectionSurvival# of canes# of flowering or fruiting canesVigor
APF-27100 a394 d6.6
APF-40100 a326 cd6.1
APF-41100 a345 cd6.8
APF-42100 a326.0
APF-46100 a39Image7.0
APF-77100 a296.0
PrimeJan85 a314.1
PrimeJim55 b225.0
P-value0.0010.0200.0010.052
Significance***N.S.***N.S.
===== PAGE 34 ===== ## Results • APF selections had good survival Prime Jim had poor survival • Total cane number was similar for all genotypes • APF-46 produced the most flowering/fruiting canes • APF-27 and APF-77 produced the fewest Vigor was similar for all genotypes; however, there was a trend for Prime-Jim® and Prime-Jan® plants to be less vigorous than the APF selections ===== PAGE 35 ===== ## Discussion • APF-46 produced more flowering/fruiting canes than other genotypes Although first year survival and vigor were acceptable for APF selections, fruit weight, flavor, total yield, flowering and harvest dates, disease/insect resistance, and overall plant vigor characteristics will need to be evaluated over the next 5 years to determine suitability for Kentucky growers. ===== PAGE 36 ===== ## 2007 Freeze Event • Long lasting freeze event • 15 F recorded at the KSU research farm • All actively growing blackberry shoots killed ===== PAGE 37 ===== ## Winter Cane Dieback
SelectionPercent Cane DiebackSignificance
A-1937T3.0ef
A-2215T0.0f
A-2241T2.0ef
A-2315T0.5f
Apache5.0ef
APF-2717.5ef
APF-4025.0de
APF-4138.8cd
APF-4215.0ef
APF-46Imagea
APF-7715.0ef
Chickasaw4.3ef
Prime Jan57.8b
Prime Jim45.6bc
Triple Crown5.6ef
===== PAGE 38 ===== ## Discussion • APF-46 had the highest cane dieback Prime Jim & Jan also suffered from high dieback • Primocane fruiting genotypes tended to have more dieback than floricane dieback • May not be an issue if plants are mowed down every season ===== PAGE 39 ===== ## Conclusions - Primocane fruiting blackberries have the potential to produce a niche-market crop for Kentucky growers from late summer until frost; However, the currently available primocane blackberry selections Prime-Jim® and Prime-Jan® are not suitable for commercial production. • APF selections may have improved characteristics over currently available primocane fruiting selections - Mowing plants down in spring may delay blooming until the hottest weather has past ===== PAGE 40 ===== ## Acknowledgements • Dr. John Strang, University of Kentucky • Dr. John Clark, University of Arkansas • KSU Land Grant Program ===== PAGE 41 ===== ## Questions?
Image