first selections are beginning to be used now as parents for a next generation.
As yet there are no field trials, but in the seedling stage they can begin to assess whether plants have a good growth habit. It’s three years from seed
to the first fruit, and the first crosses are from 2007, so work is progressing. Dossett forecasts there will be double today’s blueberry production in a few years, so it’s important to find ways for growers to make more money from blueberries.
With the fresh market holding the best chance of raising prices, it may be the way to go, but Dossett is looking at a variety that can be machine-harvested because that’s what B.C. growers do.
As far as the raspberry breeding program is concerned, Dossett said some really exciting stuff is in the pipeline.
There is an early variety coming up that could replace Malahat, which is susceptible to root rot, he said. Now known as 92915, it’s an early variety, resistant to root rot, with a firm berry and nice flavour. Although less vigorous than some, it would be good for the fresh market and could be machine-harvested, he said.
It should be coming up this year.
“There are others coming down the road, but I don’t know if they’ll be a home run or not,” he added. “Within 10 years, there should be varieties that will be machine-harvestable, resistant to root rot and to raspberry bushy dwarf virus. We have some now that have two of those characteristics, but not all three.”
Dossett is still looking for a late-season, fresh market variety to fill in the gap between early and prima
10 British Columbia Berry Grower • Spring 2013
cane varieties; something between Octavia and the summer varieties. It may be too that covers or greenhouse production is the way to go, he added. Someone will come up with a system to extend the season. That way, buyers will come back because there’s a steady supply from here. However, it needs to be economical. Some fruit can look great when it’s hand-
picked, but you end up with fruitlets when you machine-harvest it, he said.
“Without development of a new variety, we won’t have an industry in 10 years. It will just go away without a new variety,” he predicted. Tulameen is now the most widely-planted variety in the world, but there’s more Chemainus going in, he noted.
The strawberry industry has moved toward day-neutral varieties to lengthen the season, Dossett noted.
They’re now evaluating what’s in the ground, looking for colour, flavour, firmness and if the fruit drops off if you shake the plant. There are 20 acres at the Agassiz facility in
strawberries, for a mixture of research projects. Dossett said that while Albion and Diamante
are currently popular, Totem is the last PARC variety that really took off. It was developed in the berry breeding program in the 1970s. No new strawberry varieties are close to release from the breeding program at this point, although several are nearing the point where researchers can determine whether they have the characteristics needed. Changes in the strawberry industry need to be reflected in the research, Dossett added. He says one of the most enjoyable parts of what he does is interacting with growers. “I appreciate their perspectives. Their experience opens my eyes to what’s happening in the field. Everyone farms a bit differently, so when I see what’s working for them, I can take that back to my research.
“I learn so much from growers,” he said. Those who would like to talk to Dossett about varieties can contact him by e-mail at:
michael.dossett@
agr.gc.ca or by phone at: 604-796-2221, ext. 1284.
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