012 EXPLOITATION OF RUBUS STRIGOSUS IN RASPBERRY BREEDING

Abstract

The indigenous North American red raspberry, Rubis strigosus has been neglected in breeding programs. Only four cultivars, `Cuthbert', `Latham', `Herbert' and `Ranere' provide most of the germplasm contained in present-day cultivars; no more than six individual wild genotypes of the species are represented by the four cultivars. In recent years, the B.C. breeding program has screened seedling populations of hitherto unexploited genotypes of the species from various locations in North America. Useful traits identified in selections from the populations include levels of resistance to 1) the North American aphid vector, Amphorophora agathonica, of the raspberry mosaic virus complex, 2) to several cane diseases and 3) to root rot caused by Phytophthora fragariae var rubi, as well as desirable fruit traits, such as bright, non-darkening red color and easy release. Selections with cultivar potential have now been identified in the second and third backcross generations from the species.