The blackberry breeding program at the University of Arkansas: Thirty-plusyears of progress and developments for the future

Dr Jim Moore began the University of Arkansas blackberry (Rubus subgenus Ru bus) breeding program in 1964, and since then eight improved cultivars have been released: 'Cherokee', 'Comanche', 'Cheyenne', 'Shawnee', 'Choctaw', ' Navaho', 'Arapaho' and 'Kiowa'. Major objectives of the breeding program in cluded plant characteristics such as erect growth habit, thornlessness, ada ptation to the upper south and midwest of the United States, mechanical har vesting capability, high disease resistance and productivity. Fruit improve ment objectives included large fruit size, good flavor, firmness and high f ertility. The first thornless, erect cultivars,'Navaho' and 'Arapaho', were released in 1988 and 1993, respectively. Prospects for the future of the A rkansas program include improved thornless, erect cultivars with larger fru it size and higher productivity, enhanced fruit firmness and postharvest ha ndling capability, and primocane fruiting.