PRODUCTIVITY AND FRUIT QUALITY OF PRIMOCANE RASPBERRY CULTIVARS AND SELECTIONS

The soft fruit market in Lithuania has increased in the last decade, especially for raspberry, and primocane raspberry has become a more important small fruit crop. The objective of this study was to evaluate productivity and fruit quality in seven primocane raspberry cultivars and selections.
Advanced selections Ru-1 and Ru-3 (Lithuania), cultivars ‘Polana’ (Poland), ‘Babje Leto’ (Russia), ‘Austrijas Remontanta’ (Austria), ‘Ariadne’ (Sweden) and ‘Zeva’ (Germany) were tested at the Institute of Horticulture, Lithuanian Research Centre for Agriculture and Forestry in 2006-2009. Cane parameters (vigour, diameter), yield, fruit size, fruit quality (appearance, taste, aroma), fruit chemical composition (dry soluble solids, total sugar, titratable acidity, sweetness index, ascorbic acid) were studied.
Investigations showed that ‘Austrijas Remontanta’ and cultivar ‘Zeva’ produced more canes. Total yield of ‘Austrijas Remontanta’ and ‘Zeva’ was highest. ‘Polana’, Babje Leto’ and ‘Austrijas Remontanta’ produced the largest fruits. Fruits of ‘Polana’, ‘Zeva’ and selection Ru-1 had the best flavour. Fruits of ‘Austrijas Remontanta’ were distinguished by the highest amount of dry soluble solids, while ‘Babje Leto’ for sugar content. Fruits of ‘Ariadne’ accumulated the highest amount of ascorbic and titratable acids. Best sugar/acid ratios were established in the fruits of ‘Babje Leto’ and ‘Polana’. Fruits of selection Ru-1 accumulated highest amount of dry soluble solids and organic acids. From this data, ‘Austrijas Remontanta’ and ‘Polana’ were the best of the cultivars tested.