BREEDING AND VARIETY EVALUATION OF BLACKCURRANT IN HUNGARY

Hungary is situated on the southern border of the ecologically optimum zone for blackcurrant.
Varieties of northern origin introduced into Hungrey show good fertility and powdery mildew tolerance, but are not suitable for machine harvesting because of reduced vigour and low yield.
The only exception is ‘Titania’, from Sweden, which became the main variety in Hungarian blackcurrant plantations in the eighties.
The results of variety evaluation show that varieties originating from sites with similar conditions (Bojnice, Slovakia) are better suited for blackcurrant cultivation in Hungary than the others. ‘Otelo’, which originated from this breeding programme is the most valuable, having erect growth habit, high resistance to mildew and good fruit quality.

Hungary has had an active black currant breeding program in Fertõd Experimental Station of the Horticultural Research since 1965. ‘Fertõdi 1’ has been particularly successful and now accounts for 40% of the blackcurrant plantings.
Two promising cultivars ‘F 11’ (Aranka) and ‘F 41’ (Dyana) were introduced from this breeding programme last year.
An amphiploid interspecific hybrid obtained by crossing blackcurrant and gooseberry was registered under the name ‘Rikö’ in 1994.

VII International Symposium on Rubus and Ribes

F. Dénes, A. Porpáczy

breeding, variety trial, blackcurrant

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1999.505.47