YEAR-TO-YEAR CONSISTENCY OF HARVEST DATA IN RASPBERRY BREEDING PLOTS

Harvest data from the first and second harvest seasons were compared f or 264 plots in six red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) plantings establis hed from 1987 to 1992 to determine year-to-year consistency of harvest data. Midpoint of harvest had the largest correlation coefficient (r = 0.81, n = 264), followed by fruit mass (r = 0.76) and fruit firmness (r = 0.47). The relationship between the first and second harvest sea sons was weaker for yield (r = 0.33) and percent fruit rot (r = 0.24). Basing the correlation coefficients on genotype means did not greatly improve the consistency of data. Inconsistency of harvest data sugges ts that selections should not be discarded because of low yields after a single harvest season but should be evaluated for at least 2 years.