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.