Article from Specialty Crop Grower
by Jaci Schreckengost
Blackberry Possibilities in the Southeast
Research on new varieties and production techniques is aimed at helping blackberry growers improve their crops.
The
primocane-fruiting variety of blackberry is being researched as a
possibility for Florida growers, said Christopher Vincent, assistant
professor of horticultural sciences at the University of Florida
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and
Education Center in Lake Alfred.
Due to successful research
trials with this variety in other areas of the United States, Vincent
believes these studies could be applicable to growers in the Southeast
as well.
This primocane-fruiting variety of blackberry does not
require overwintering to produce flowers. Instead, it has an internal
calendar based on the blackberry cane’s age, which tells it when to
flower and fruit.
On an average natural schedule, Vincent said
this would mean the blackberry crops would flower and fruit later in
the summer. While this schedule would not work for Florida growers due
to the heat and humidity present in the summer, there is a possible way
to delay this.
According to Vincent, pruning the crop down to
ground level allows the canes to essentially be ‘reset,’ which delays
harvest. This can be controlled by when the grower chooses to prune the
plant. Vincent said he is unaware of Florida growers currently using
this method to control the fruiting and harvest of their blackberry
crops, but he is encouraging growers to try it.
There is another
practice that has been researched in other areas of the country for
blackberry crops. However, Vincent said he is skeptical of its uses in
Florida. High tunnel practices have been researched in northern states
to create Florida-like weather conditions.
“So we were trying to
extend the harvest into the fall, and it worked, but I’m not really
sure that would be valuable in Florida because basically what we were
trying to do with the high tunnel was get things to be more like they
already are here,” Vincent said. This method could be useful in other
areas in the Southeast that do experience cooler weather during the
fall.
Vincent said blackberry research is important for growers
to be informed of new techniques and procedures that could improve
their season.
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