Articles
Endodormancy in six blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum) cultivars
Article number
1277_51
Pages
359 – 366
Language
English
Abstract
The demand for blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.) has increased as consumers have become aware of the health effects of blackcurrant berry.
New cultivars suitable for both fresh market and processing are needed.
As the winter temperatures are increasing, one aim in major blackcurrant breeding programs is low chilling requirement and therefore a short endodormancy in new cultivars.
However, in northern Europe a long and deep endodormancy is required, to avoid frost damaged plants after initiation of growth during warm spells in winter followed by frost.
The aim of our study was to examine the depth of endodormancy and cold hardiness in six blackcurrant cultivars at different times during winter.
Single shoots of the Lithuanian cultivars Almiai and Gagatai, Finnish cultivars Mikael and Mortti, and Scottish cultivars Ben Hope and Ben Tron were collected from the field in southern Finland.
The depth of endodormancy was determined as the percentage of buds broken during forcing at room temperature and as time (days) to bud break.
Cold hardiness (LT50) was measured with controlled freezing tests by exposing the shoot samples to gradually decreasing temperatures in the freezing chamber.
The effectiveness of different temperatures and light on breaking of dormancy was studied in the two Finnish cultivars.
The deepest dormancy was observed in the cultivars Almiai and Gagatai, while a more shallow dormancy was found in Ben Tron and Mortti. Ben Tron was also the least cold hardy cultivar in our freezing tests, while Almiai was very cold hardy.
The effectiveness of temperatures 0, +6, +12 and + 18°C in breaking of endodormancy was studied under controlled conditions in shoots of Mikael and Mortti. In both cultivars, the most effective chilling temperature was 0°C.
New cultivars suitable for both fresh market and processing are needed.
As the winter temperatures are increasing, one aim in major blackcurrant breeding programs is low chilling requirement and therefore a short endodormancy in new cultivars.
However, in northern Europe a long and deep endodormancy is required, to avoid frost damaged plants after initiation of growth during warm spells in winter followed by frost.
The aim of our study was to examine the depth of endodormancy and cold hardiness in six blackcurrant cultivars at different times during winter.
Single shoots of the Lithuanian cultivars Almiai and Gagatai, Finnish cultivars Mikael and Mortti, and Scottish cultivars Ben Hope and Ben Tron were collected from the field in southern Finland.
The depth of endodormancy was determined as the percentage of buds broken during forcing at room temperature and as time (days) to bud break.
Cold hardiness (LT50) was measured with controlled freezing tests by exposing the shoot samples to gradually decreasing temperatures in the freezing chamber.
The effectiveness of different temperatures and light on breaking of dormancy was studied in the two Finnish cultivars.
The deepest dormancy was observed in the cultivars Almiai and Gagatai, while a more shallow dormancy was found in Ben Tron and Mortti. Ben Tron was also the least cold hardy cultivar in our freezing tests, while Almiai was very cold hardy.
The effectiveness of temperatures 0, +6, +12 and + 18°C in breaking of endodormancy was studied under controlled conditions in shoots of Mikael and Mortti. In both cultivars, the most effective chilling temperature was 0°C.
Authors
P. Palonen, J. Kemppinen, S. Karhu
Keywords
chilling, dormancy release, freezing test, frost hardiness
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