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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #433586
Title: Blackberry ‘Hillquist’ – Primocane fruiting

Author
item SILVA, ALEXANDER - University Of Arkansas
item WORTHINGTON, MARGARET - University Of Arkansas
item Hardigan, Michael
item Bassil, Nahla

Submitted to: Book / Chapter / eBook
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/17/2026
Publication Date: 5/4/2026
Citation: Silva, A., Worthington, M., Hardigan, M.A., Bassil, N.V. 2026. Blackberry ‘Hillquist’ – Primocane fruiting. In: Volk G.M., Chen K.Y., Byrne P.F., Bretting P.K., editors. Plant Genetic Resources: Success Stories. Fort Collins, CO: Colorado State University. Available from https://colostate.pressbooks.pub/pgrsuccessstories/chapter/blackberry-hillquist-primocane-fruiting/.

Interpretive Summary: Educational/training resources are being developed for topics related to plant genetic resources management and use. This is an ebook chapter that will be published in "Plant Genetic Resources: Success Stories". This ebook chapter is publicly available at: https://colostate.pressbooks.pub/pgrsuccessstories/chapter/

Technical Abstract: Annual flowering, also known as primocane-fruiting (PF), is a valuable trait in blackberry and raspberry production. Although PF cultivars are widely grown, the genetic basis of the trait has remained unresolved. From 2021–2025, scientists at the University of Arkansas and the USDA National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR) in Corvallis, Oregon collaborated to uncover the genetic basis of the PF trait in blackberry. Analyzing genetic resources from the NCGR and diverse breeding germplasm, researchers identified a single interval of the blackberry genome associated with the PF trait and developed highly accurate genetic markers that breeding programs can use to expedite plant selection. Improved analysis of the genome sequence for the Rubus argutus ‘Hillquist’ (the NPGS accession PI 553951) enabled identification of different genetic variants associated with the PF trait.