North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

[Richard Moyer <ramoyer@gmail.com>]

Steve,
For pics and ID of currants and gooseberries (Ribes) see:
Berry Diagnostic Tool - Cornell Fruit
www.fruit.cornell.edu/berrytool/index.html

If one of these pics is not a dead ringer, of if confirmation desired,
contact Dr. Joseph Postman, USDA-ARS plant pathologist, based at the
Corvallis NCGR.  The USDA Ribes collection (including currants) is
based there.

Richard Moyer
SW VA

> ----------------------------->
> Message: 3
> Date: Wed, 22 Jun 2011 13:02:47 -0700
> From: Sarah and Steve Masterman <ssmasterman@hotmail.com>
> Subject: [NAFEX] Currants
> To: <nafex@lists.ibiblio.org>
> Message-ID: <BAY163-w6070E6157F2A3638406177B1500@phx.gbl>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"
>
>
> Our currants are showing signs of stress. The last two seasons they have
> started to bud at the right time, but the buds and young leaves stop
> developing for almost a month, with larger leaves only just starting to show
> on new shoots. The leaves on the older branches are all less than 1" across
> and most are less than 1/2". They have light green centers (lighter than the
> new growth) transitioning out to yellow and in some cases brown edges. They
> did not fruit last year and will not again this year. The leaves on the new
> growth do not have the yellow to brown edges like the older leaves.
>
> We live in Fairbanks Alaska and have them in our orchard where other things
> like apples, pears, plums, gooseberries, saskatoons and honeyberries all
> seem to do well. I can't see any insects on the plants, and both red and
> blackcurrants are affected equally. In reading up on this I have several
> theories - lack of nitrogen, lack of potassium, lack of water and root-bound
> due to compacted soil. Not sure if its any of these or something else.
> Anyone got any ideas?
>
> Steve                                         
>
> ------------------------------