Expanding the adaptation and production area of rubus in Europe

The EC AIR3 PL 92-0325 project started 1 January 1993, involved 7 groups from six European Countries (Italy, United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Sweden and France) with the objective to increase dessert Rubus production in Europe, outside the traditional season, by growing primocane fruiting (PF) type raspberries? and developing other PF Rubus crops. The project has been divided into the following two main tasks: 1. to transfer the PF trait from raspberry into raspberry x blackberry hybrids, and then into blackberries using conventional and non-conventional breeding strategies. 2. to determine agronomic management of PF Rubus for winter production in southern regions of the EC. Conventional breeding based on inter- and intra-specific crosses was used to produce tetraploid PF raspberry, blackberry and allo-hexaploid hybrid berries. Biotechnology programmes centred on protoplast fusion technology, and colchicine in vitro ploidy manipulation were used to produce further variability. Molecular markers analysis by RAPD and molecular cytogenetic analysis by non-isotopic in situ hybridization (GISH and FISH) were developed and applied to study the new genetic materials. Agronomic studies on several PF raspberry varieties were evaluated at several locations in the southern region, both in protected cultivation (plastic tunnel) and in the open field. Cultivation and management systems suitable to local conditions were tested. The seedlings developed by conventional breeding were also evaluated in these southern locations. The final goal of the programme is to develop commercial Rubus material, having primocane fruiting character, which can be manipulated for out-of-season production on small family farms in rural areas. This paper summarises the research activities carried out by all the participants during the four year project.