Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #169797

Title: NOTICE TO FRUIT GROWERS AND NURSERYMEN OF RELEASE OF TRAILING BLACKBERRY CULTIVAR OBSIDIAN

Author
item Finn, Chad
item STRIK, B - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item YORGEY, B - OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
item Martin, Robert
item KEMPLER, C - AGRICULTURE & AGRI-FOODS
item Peterson, Mary
item PACE, C - OREGON STATE UNIVERISTY

Submitted to: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, Cultivar Release
Publication Type: Germplasm Release
Publication Acceptance Date: 7/1/2004
Publication Date: 11/1/2004
Citation: Finn, C.E., Strik, B., Yorgey, B., Martin, R.R., Kempler, C., Peterson, M.E., Pace, C. 2004. Notice to fruit growers and nurserymen of release of trailing blackberry cultivar obsidian. USDA, Agricultural Resesarch Service, Cultivar Release.

Interpretive Summary: One of the primary objectives of the USDA in Oregon is the development of high quality blackberry cultivars for the commercial industry. The main goal is to develop thornless processing cultivars that can be machine harvested, but there is a strong interest in high quality cultivars for the fresh market that can be hand picked. 'Obsidian' is introduced as a berry for the fresh market. This blackberry ripens very early and produces high yields of large, glossy fruit with superb flavor, making it an excellent berry for fresh market sales.

Technical Abstract: The United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Washington Agricultural Research Center announce the release of a new, very early-ripening, trailing blackberry, OBSIDIAN. OBSIDIAN was selected in 1996 from a cross between ORUS 828-43 and ORUS 1122-1, and tested as ORUS 1369-3. Both parents of OBSIDIAN have complex pedigree, but 'Marion', 'Olallie', and OSC 878 ('Jenner' x 'Eldorado') figure prominently in their backgrounds; 'Austin Thornless', 'Boysen', 'Logan', 'Zielinski', 'Young', and 'Lucretia' can also be found in their pedigrees. OBSIDIAN has been evaluated in trials at Oregon State University's North Willamette Research and Extension Center in Aurora, OR, Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada research station in Abbotsford, BC, and in a commercial grower field in Lynden, WA. OBSIDIAN's release is primarily due to its superior performance as a very early-ripening, fresh market berry. The cultivar is named after the beautiful, black volcanic glass, obsidian.