USDA ACCESSION NO.: 65103

SELECTION: Selected as E 2 by C. B. Skotland, Prosser, WA, from a commercial Early Cluster field in the late 1950's.

GENUS: Humulus

SPECIES: lupulus

CULTIVAR: Early Cluster

PEDIGREE: Uncertain, perhaps a somatic mutation of an Oregon or Pacific Coast Cluster around 1908.

PRIMARY SITE: Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center, Prosser, WA

ORIGIN: Selected as virus free clone E 2 by C. B. Skotland, Prosser, WA, from a commercial Early Cluster yard.

DATE RECEIVED: 1965

METHOD RECEIVED: Rhizomes

AVAILABILITY: No restrictions, commercial variety

REFERENCES: Skotland, C. B. Improvement of Cluster hops. NBAA Technical Quarterly 10(3):119-122. 1973.

Romanko, R. R. in S. S. Steiner's Guide to American Hops. S. S. Steiner, Inc. New York 1973, p. 23.

MATURITY: Early

LEAF COLOR: Medium green

SEX: Female

DISEASES: Downy Mildew: susceptible

Verticillium wilt: resistant

Viruses: free of prunus necrotic ringspot virus and apple mosaic virus in gradually becomes reinfected in commercial plantings over a 10 to 15 year period.

VIGOR: Excellent

YIELD: High, 1800 to 2100 lbs/acre

SIDE ARM LENGTH: 24 to 36 inches

ALPHA ACIDS: 6.4% (4 year range: 5.2 to 8.6%)

BETA ACIDS: 4.4% (4 year range: 3.6 to 6.1%)

COHUMULONE: 39%

STORAGE STABILITY: Very good

OIL: 0.79 ml/100 g (4 year range: 0.66 to 1.03)

MAJOR TRAITS: High yield potential, susceptible to Downy Mildew (Pseudoperonospora humuli) in crown, leaf and cone stage. Excellent storage stability of soft resins.

OTHER INFORMATION: Major hop variety in Washington and Idaho. Not suitable for Western Oregon production because of Downy Mildew susceptibility. In 1986, 7063 acres of Early Clusters accounted for 28% of total U.S. hop acreage. In 1997 total Cluster acreage had shrunk to 3697 acres, (8.38 mill. Lbs), ranking it fourth in total production.