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G-435 and ARS 96–138 are two pink-fruited blueberry selections developed by the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. G-435, a tetraploid, is predominantly Vaccinium corymbosum L. (highbush blueberry) with a mixture of other Vaccinium species germplasm in its ancestry. It has been evaluated in New Jersey and Michigan. ARS 96–138 is a hexaploid that is half V. ashei Reade (rabbiteye blueberry) and half synthetically derived, hexaploid, highbush-type germplasm. It has been evaluated in New Jersey and Oregon. ARS 96–138 was partially derived from a pink-fruited sibling of G-435; thus, the two selections are related, although they possess different ploidy levels. They are released as germplasm for further evaluation, breeding, and possible commercialization. They represent a novel fruit color in blueberry that is of interest to the landscape nursery business.
Trailing blackberry cultivars, such as `Marion', can be traced to relatively few chance selections of Rubus ursinus Cham. & Schlecht. Wild R. ursinus offer a range of horticulturally desirable traits to breeders, from high fruit quality to improved cold hardiness. Cuttings from 460 plants, representing 20 populations in southern British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, collected in 1993. Rooted clones were planted in 1994 in a replicated field trial to assess morphological variation. A greenhouse study was also undertaken, with 10 clones represented from each site, in two replications. Preliminary data from the greenhouse and field studies show variability in the following morphological characters: Glandular hairs; cane and prickle color; cane diameter; prickle density; internode length; leaf color, size, shape and density; and senescent leaf drop and color change. Floricane morphology will be assessed in 1995. Analysis of these data will determine relative genetic distances among the populations and enhance the understanding of the diversity available in R. ursinus.
The superb flavor of trailing blackberry cultivars, such as `Marion', is derived from Rubus ursinus Cham. & Schlecht. Wild R. ursinus offer a range of horticulturally desirable traits to breeders, from high fruit quality to improved cold hardiness. Current cultivars are derived from relatively few sources of R. ursinus, selected primarily for fruiting characteristics. A replicated field trial of 460 clones, representing 20 populations from southern British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, was established in 1994. Observations during the planting year have indicated that monitoring variability in the following reproductive traits will be useful in assessing diversity; budbreak, flowering, and fruiting date; lateral length; proportion of reproductive laterals; gender; flower and fruit number; and fruit size. In particular, there are clones that exhibit large fruit size (4 to 5 g), high flower number per lateral, and uniform fruit set. Analysis of these data will contribute to determination of relative genetic distances among the populations and enhance the understanding of the diversity available in R. ursinus.