A new production method of long-cane blackberry plants

Abstract

Blackberry production is increasing worldwide and the search for new production systems has been ceaseless. Considering the extension of vegetative growth, from March until November, in mild winter climates regions huge cane lengths are obtained. Considering this feature, a trial with nine blackberry cultivars of different types, (‘Olallie’, ‘Silvan’, ‘Karaka Black’, ‘Kotata’, ‘Boysenberry’, ‘Ouachita’, ‘Loch Tay’, ‘Chester Thornless’ and ‘Logan Thornless’) was conducted in order to evaluate cultivar suitability for double cropping production, in season from floricanes (spring) and off season (late autumn) from long-canes. For each cultivar two cutting treatments were preformed, floricane suppression and no cutting. Plants grown without floricanes produced primocanes that had significantly greater cane lengths and node number but lower diameters. Relatively to rooting treatments, ‘Logan Thornless’ didn´t rooted in any treatment. In all other cultivars, simple layering was the treatment which produced longer long-canes, except for ‘Ouachita’ where best results were obtained from layering 20 cm tipped primocanes. Considering the response of each cultivar to this new production system and their behavior in south-west Alentejo, the most adapted cultivars in each blackberry type were: ‘Karaka Black’ and ‘Olallie’ for trailing type, ‘Boysenberry’ for hybrids, ‘Ouachita’ to erect types and lastly ‘Chester Thornless’ to semi-erect type