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COUNTRY LIFE IN BC • MARCH 2017
Researchers have a basketful of berry options
Not all selections make it to market
by PETER MITHAM ABBOTSFORD – With berry season approaching, consumers
have high hopes for the fresh crop of strawberries and raspberries from local fields. Researchers, however, are hoping the fruit of trials across the Pacific Northwest will yield new varieties that will sustain the industry for seasons to come. Of the dozens of strawberry and raspberry varieties
Randy Miedema of A&B Packing Equipment points out some of the features of their blueberry harvester to a couple of interested Pacific Agriculture Show patrons. RANDY GIESBRECHT PHOTO
researchers have been evaluating, the following are among the stand-outs – but not all will make it to market.
Strawberries BC 10-2-1: This day-neutral selection has been enjoying good
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reviews in Quebec. The fruit is sweeter and better quality than Albion, with excellent size, too. Charlotte: Developed in France, this day-neutral variety is a
small, compact plant that produces small, compact fruit. This isn’t a good selling feature, says Eric Gerbrandt of the Pacific Berry Resource Centre at the University of the Fraser Valley, and it likely won’t be a commercial hit, but it’s ideal for niche and backyard production. “One thing it’s got going for it is that it has a very interesting flavour,” he said. “It kinds tastes like cotton-candy; it’s quite sweet.” Charm: A June-bearing variety from Oregon State University
developed in collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture, it’s primarily a processing variety suitable for ice cream. It exhibits excellent vigour and establishes well. Yields are high and fruit is of a good size. ORUS 2427-4: This variety will be named and released in the near future. It offers moderate yields with large fruit and decent flavour, and caps well. Researchers consider it to be a leading contender for ongoing evaluation in BC. Sweet Ann: A day-neutral variety from California that
produces large conical fruit. It’s vigorous, with good upright laterals and yields well, but it’s lighter in colour than Albion, lacks flavour and isn’t as firm. Gerbrandt is blunt in his opinion: “It’s just not going to outperform Albion.” Sweet Bliss: A June-bearing variety developed by Oregon State University and the US Department of Agriculture suitable for both the fresh and processing markets. It yields well, with large fruit size but establishment at trial locations in BC has been spotty. Sweet Sunrise: A June-bearing variety that ripens 10 to 14
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days ahead of Totem, with yields up to 15% greater than Totem. The fruit is large, the colour is good, but Gerbrandt feels the flavour is “questionable.” Suitable for either the fresh or processing market. Developed at Oregon State University in collaboration with the US Department of Agriculture.
Raspberries
BC 10-93-28: A selection from BC that ripens a full week earlier than Malahat and promises to be a parent for new cultivars. Its genetics could give the berries an edge against Spotted Wing Drosophila. Cascade Bounty: “It’s cast-iron; it’s hard to kill,” says Tom
Peerbolt of Peerbolt Crop Management in Portland, Oregon. However, fruit quality isn’t great despite its hardiness. Cascade Harvest: A selection from Washington State
University formerly known as WSU-1507. Released in 2013, it machine harvests nicely, exhibits tolerance to root rot and Raspberry Bushy Dwarf Virus. It’s high-yielding, with good flavour and suitable for both the fresh and processing market. However, Gerbrandt isn’t sold on its suitability for BC. “The tolerance that we were hoping for is just not quite there,” he said. “I don’t want to be a Debbie Downer on it completely; it’s still a good variety but it’s not going to be as tolerant to root rot as we thought it would be.” Squamish: A leading contender to replace Malahat, it is firm,
sweet and resistant to aphids. It machine harvests well and is resistant to root rot. Gerbrandt doesn’t consider it “a silver bullet to cure all root rot problems … but it’s likely going to be better than Malahat.” It’s shortcoming? It’s slow to propagate. WSU-2162: A favourite in the 2015 trials, this late-season
variety has excellent fruit quality and flavour. A contender for release in 2017.
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