Effects of Cane Emergence Time, Bending, and Defoliation on Flowering and Yield in Primocane-Fruiting Blackberry

Fumiomi Takeda,Kathleen Demchak,Ann Rose

doi:10.3390/agronomy10111737

Abstract

Primocane-fruiting (PF) blackberries are adaptable to different production systems. To increase yields in PF blackberries, their primocanes are typically tipped or topped in summer to encourage branch formation from axillary buds below the cut. In this study, we determined in PF ‘Prime-Ark® Traveler’ whether early emerging primocanes were more productive than those that emerged later in the season, and the effect of primocane bending and defoliation on flowering. The primocanes that emerged in April produced 64% more flower shoots than those that emerged after May. Also, these findings indicate the alternative primocane management practices of selecting the early emerging primocanes and bending to orient primocanes horizontally, and leaf removal to increase budbreak and flower shoot emergence. The present work contributes toward a better understanding of primocane emergence time and orientation–flowering relations, and how these factors mediate crop performance of PF blackberry.

Highlights

In North America, thornless blackberry became available with the introduction of ‘Smoothstem’and ‘Thornfree’ by the USDA [1], and most blackberry cultivars grown for fresh pack and consumption are thornless
This study investigated the effects of primocane orientation and defoliation treatments on the reproductive potential of PF blackberry
This study is the first to describe the relationships between primocane emergence date, vigor, orientation, and leaf removal on plant productivity in PF blackberry

Summary

Introduction

In North America, thornless blackberry became available with the introduction of ‘Smoothstem’and ‘Thornfree’ by the USDA [1], and most blackberry cultivars grown for fresh pack and consumption are thornless. These advances have expanded the commercial production in Central America and other areas with mild winter conditions, and in high-latitude regions with low winter temperatures. These changes in FF and PF blackberry production (e.g., new cultivars and production practices) have enabled growers and packers to ship high-quality fresh blackberries to distant markets almost year-round in North America [2,4]. The above-ground portion of blackberry plants consists of canes which emerge from adventitious buds on the perennial root system and latent buds on the crown. The canes that develop from the crown and the roots are biennial; mature blackberry plants have two types of canes

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