Effect of low temperature in the first development stage for five red raspberry genotypes

Abstract

In raspberry, the expression of the primocane fruiting trait is influenced by the environment. Although there are several factors that influence the expression of this character, it is well known that low temperatures that occur during the growth season of the primocane, are important and affect the flowering. In this study, plants in their early stages of development were exposed to low temperatures (2°C) for one month, in a dark cold chamber. The following genotypes primocane and floricane were used: ‘UC103’, ‘Autumn Bliss’, ‘Heritage’, ‘Meeker’ and ‘Tulameen’. Flowering and growth were recorded until the end of the season and the morphology of the meristem was characterized in this moment. Interaction between cold and genotype was detected in all parameters studied. In ‘Heritage’, a slight primocane, growth and flowering were favoured by exposure to cold. Thereby, low temperature affects flowering, but this effect depends on primocane fruiting degree of each genotype, slight primocane the cold favored flowering and growth. However, strongly primocane the cold had no effect on flowering and growth.