Cultivar Evaluation of Three Primocane-Fruiting Blackberry Selections from Arkansas and Grown in Iowa

Abstract

<p>Blackberries are a common seasonal fruit in southern Midwestern states and have potential in the Iowa markets as a berry crop. However, most floricane-fruiting blackberry cultivars do not possess sufficient winter hardiness for Iowa climatic conditions and growers may loose the fruit crop when cold temperatures damage floricanes. The introduction of primocane-fruiting blackberries helps to alleviate the risk of low temperature injury to the floricanes and extends the blackberry fruiting season into the fall. However, the fruits of primocane-fruiting cultivars need to mature before fall frosts occur. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fruiting potential of three primocane-fruiting blackberry selections that were bred at the University of Arkansas by Dr. John Clark and were grown outdoors in Iowa.</p>