Evaluation of Belorussian and Estonian blackcurrant Ribes nigrum L. cultivars in Estonia

Abstract

Black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) is an important soft fruit crop in Estonia, grown both for processing and dessert. The climate of Estonia is suitable for blackcurrant production, although in some years spring frosts limit the yield. The soft fruit collection at Polli Horticultural Research Centre of the Estonian University of Life Sciences (58°7ʹ26ʺ N, 25°32ʹ43ʺ E) has 123 black currant cultivars. Ten of the cultivars (‘Belorusskaya Sladkaya’, ‘Katyusha’, ‘Minaj Shmyriov’, ‘Pamyat Vavilova’, ‘Paulinka’, ‘Asker’, ‘Elmar’, ‘Elo’, ‘Karri’, ‘Mairi’) of Belorussian and Estonian breeding programmes were evaluated. Their phenological traits, winter hardiness, fruit yield weight and quality, and their susceptibility to mildew (Sphaerotheca morsuvae (Schw.) Berk.), antracnose (Drepanopeziza ribis Kleb.) and black currant gall mite (Cecidophyosis ribis Westw.) were determined in the period 2011–2014. Winter injury and damage by Sphaerotheca mors-uvae (Schw.) Berk. and Cecidophyosis ribis Westw. was not evident in the test cultivars. The best cultivars were ‘Katyusha’ and ‘Elmar’, they had a good stable yield, damage by anthracnose was relatively weak and last had large fruits. The cultivars ‘Mairi’, ‘Pamyat Vavilova’ and ‘Karri’ had quit good yields too. Good dessert cultivars were ‘Karri’, ‘Elmar’ and ‘Mairi’, with large fruits, quite good yields and no gall mite damage.