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nafex - [NAFEX] overlooked fruits

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  • From: "Lon J. Rombough" <lonrom@hevanet.com>
  • To: NAFEX <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: [NAFEX] overlooked fruits
  • Date: Sat, 18 Mar 2006 17:54:25 -0800

NAFEX does a lot of work with tree fruits, but it seems like there are some seriously overlooked small fruits. Who, for example, is doing any exploration of wild blueberry species? Blueberries have been in cultivation for less than a century, and there are still several wild species that have a lot of undeveloped potential. There is a little work being done on some of them at some universities, but I know of no private breeders or testers of them. There was a man in Oregon who had collected some large berried selections of Vaccinium ovatum, the evergreen huckleberry, but no one has taken up his work since he died. In the north, there could be more work in selecting lowbush blueberries for cold climates, and here in the west there are some mat forming species. In the latter case, the late Pierre Rotschky of Yacolt, Washington had found some fine specimens, then he passed away before the material was distributed to anyone.
In strawberries, there is still a need to search the wild species for superior forms both for their own use and for breeding new cultivated types.
In red raspberries, we need more material with adaptation to difficult conditions like the southeast US. We've got one crackerjack researcher in Pete Tallman with his work on fall bearing black raspberries, though.
In short, the need for new material is still with us, and NAFEX members should keep in mind the value in watching out for promising wild plants of some of these species.
-Lon Rombough
Grapes, writing, consulting, my book, The Grape Grower, at http://www.bunchgrapes.com Winner of the Garden Writers Association "Best Talent in Writing" award for 2003.


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