RASPBERRY BREEDING FOR MECHANICAL HARVESTING IN NORTHERN RUSSIA

The main objectives of raspberry breeding for mechanical harvesting at the Institute of Horticulture, Moscow include: concentrated ripening; improved fruit firmness; ability of berries to retain their quality for 6 days after ripening; resistance to cane diseases and cane midge; suitable plant habit.

Germplasm from the Scottish Horticultural Research Institute and from East Malling Research Station proved the best sources of improved fruit firmness.
Hybrids involving R. crataegifolius showed very high resistance to fruit rot and an ability to maintain good fruit quality for 6–12 days after ripening.
R. odoratus was used as a donor of field immunity from cane midge (Thomasiniana theobaldy Barns.) and Didymella applanata Sacc.

No raspberry cultivars or hybrids under trial are suitable for machine harvesting in Northern Russia, but the Institute of Horticulture in Moscow and the Institute of Horticulture of Siberia (Altaj area) have promising material.

Symposium on Breeding and Machine Harvesting of Rubus and Ribes

V.V. Kichina

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1976.60.12