North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>]

Title: Re: [NAFEX] Maine Blackberries

Chimeras were only a problem with some of the old thornless type blackberries.  They would tend to produce normally thorny shoots from the roots because the new shoots originated in tissues of the root that carried the thorny trait.  The thornlessness of the shoots was only in one layer of tissue on the surface, and the only way to get new thornless plants was to layer the shoots.   Those types aren't commonly available now, other than perhaps a thornless loganberry.  Newer thornless types have been created differently and don't have the problem.

> John Bunker, sounds like a worthwhile movie
> The blackberries I got from you to trial all got killed  to ground by mice - 
> but one, so it will provide a good test - as we had minus 40F - and it is 
> now showing signs of blooming.
> My question for you , or anyone.....
> The shoots coming up from the roots, are they true to the parent? I remember 
> something called 'chimeras' in blackberries and had the impression 
> root-grown offsping of some rubus are not true.
> thanks, Del