research update


A passion for berry breeding


Michael Dossett is among those who believe firmly that varieties developed here have a much better chance of being commercially successful.


By Judie Steeves A


self-confessed plant geek, Michael Dossett has been working with now-retired berry breeder Chaim Kempler at the Pacific Agri-food Research Centre at Agassiz since May, 2011 on a post-doctoral visiting fellowship.


His work right now is funded from the B.C. Blueberry Council, Raspberry Industry Development Council and Fraser Valley Strawberry Growers Association, with matching government funding through the Developing Innovative Agri-Products (DIAP) program, but funds run out at the end of March this year.


The breeding program has been cut by the federal agriculture ministry and with Kempler’s retirement, the position no longer exists at Agassiz. That means the nearest Canadian cultivar development research will be in Kentville, Nova Scotia, where conditions for growing berries are completely different than in B.C.’s Fraser Valley. Dossett is with the University of Oregon, doing his PhD horticulture grad work on fruit breeding.


“I love science and I get really excited about these projects,” commented Dossett about efforts to breed new berry varieties suited to conditions in the valley.


He notes that if the Tulameen variety JUDIE STEEVES


Michael Dossett sees royalties as an important part of ensuring that plant breeding programs survive in the long term.


had been patented when it was developed by PARC, royalties from it would have ensured that the berry breeding program wouldn’t be starved for funds today.


However, he says the industry has been really supportive, even renting four acres on which raspberry seedlings could be planted to continue his research work.


Currently, the breeding program is gearing up with blueberries in a big way and he saw the first selections last year and the year before.


Last year, 5,800 seedlings were planted, and Dossett figures 4,000 a year need to be put in for a sustainable program.


However, the time from a cross to release of a new variety can be as much as 15 years, so the sooner work can get underway, the better.


At present, there are breeding programs in Michigan and New Jersey,


as well as a U.S. Department of Agriculture program in Oregon and a private program.


It’s important that royalties are part of any breeding program in order to guarantee long-term funding from plant sales can go back into the breeding program, he believes.


So far, blueberry varieties have all been developed elsewhere, and each has some disease or other issue when grown in the Fraser Valley.


“Varieties developed here have a much better chance of growing successfully here,” he notes, and for local growers to compete on a level playing field with fruit from other regions, local cultivars need to be developed.


At first, he said they’ll have to work with what other breeders have been working with, but by the second and third generation, plants bred here will be unique. It takes time to get there. The


British Columbia Berry Grower • Spring 2013 9


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