Prairie Fruit Genebank
ADF#20070076
Final Report, Jan. 2011
Principle Investigator: Dr. Bob Bors
Technicians: Peter Reimer, Ellen Sawchuk, Rick Sawatzky
and Travis Sander
Students: Tyler Kaban, Eric Gerbrandt, James Dawson
1
Contents
Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 2
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. 4
List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 4
Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 5
1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6
2
History..................................................................................................................................... 8
3
Preserving the Collection ........................................................................................................ 9
3.1
Genebank Location .......................................................................................................... 9
3.2
Inventory and prioritizing of existing collections ............................................................ 9
3.3
Plot Plans ........................................................................................................................ 13
3.4
Field Activities ............................................................................................................... 13
3.4.1
Propagating endangered accessions ........................................................................ 14
3.4.2
Pest and Weed Control............................................................................................ 15
3.4.3
Field Labels ............................................................................................................. 15
3.5
Crop Particulars .............................................................................................................. 16
3.5.1
Apples ..................................................................................................................... 16
3.5.2
Black Currants ........................................................................................................ 17
3.5.3
Cherry Plums .......................................................................................................... 17
3.5.4
Haskap..................................................................................................................... 18
3.5.5
Hazelnuts................................................................................................................. 18
3.5.6
Pears ........................................................................................................................ 18
3.5.7
Plums....................................................................................................................... 18
3.5.8
Raspberries .............................................................................................................. 19
3.5.9
Sandcherries ............................................................................................................ 19
3.5.10
Saskatoons............................................................................................................... 19
3.5.11
Seabuckthorn........................................................................................................... 26
3.5.12
Sour Cherries .......................................................................................................... 26
3.5.13
Choke Cherries, Highbush Cranberries, Missouri Currants ................................... 26
2
3.5.14
4
5
Collection Availability and Distribution............................................................................... 28
4.1
Stool Beds ...................................................................................................................... 28
4.2
Budwood ........................................................................................................................ 28
4.3
Online Availability ......................................................................................................... 28
4.4
Distribution..................................................................................................................... 30
Building the collection .......................................................................................................... 33
5.1
6
Institutional relationships ............................................................................................... 33
5.1.1
Brooks, AB ............................................................................................................. 33
5.1.2
Old College, AB...................................................................................................... 33
5.1.3
Unity, SK ................................................................................................................ 33
5.1.4
Morden, MB ............................................................................................................ 33
5.1.5
Vavilov Institute, Russia ......................................................................................... 34
5.1.6
Ag Canada’s: Canadian Clonal Genebank, ON ...................................................... 34
5.2
Grapes............................................................................................................................. 34
5.3
Strawberries .................................................................................................................... 34
5.4
Apples............................................................................................................................. 37
5.5
Sabbatical Acquisitions .................................................................................................. 38
Information Resource Development ..................................................................................... 38
6.1
Historical Documents ..................................................................................................... 38
6.2
Database ......................................................................................................................... 39
6.3
PFG Website .................................................................................................................. 40
6.3.1
Training ................................................................................................................... 40
6.3.2
Photography ............................................................................................................ 40
6.3.3
Website Layout ....................................................................................................... 40
6.4
7
Strawberries ............................................................................................................ 27
Extension events............................................................................................................. 41
Fruit Exchange and Analysis ................................................................................................ 42
7.1
Cherries .......................................................................................................................... 42
7.2
Haskap ............................................................................................................................ 42
7.3
Saskatoons ...................................................................................................................... 42
Appendix 1: Germplasm Received by the U of S Fruit Program ................................................. 43
3
Appendix 2: Fruit Articles Prepared by the U of S Fruit Program ............................................... 47
Appendix 3: Extension Article “Cider as a Processing Option for Prairie Apple Producers” .... 48
Appendix 4: Extension Article “Popular Fruit Varieties, 2010” .................................................. 52
Appendix 5: Extension Document “University of Saskatchewan Apple Introducations, 19972010” ............................................................................................................................................. 56
Appendix 6: Extension Document “Apple Cultivars Named by PAPI” ....................................... 58
Appendix 7: Extension Article “Prairie Fruit Summary, 2010” ................................................... 59
List of Figures
Figure 1: Fruit plantings in 2008. ................................................................................................. 10
Figure 2: Fruit plots as of Jan 2011. ............................................................................................. 11
Figure 3: Sample Plot Plan. .......................................................................................................... 13
Figure 4:Permanent Tree Tags ...................................................................................................... 16
Figure 5: Top worked apples. .................................................................................................... 17
Figure 6:Upright and sideways harvesters. . ................................................................................ 20
Figure 7: Guidelines for classifying bush shape. .......................................................................... 21
Figure 8: Bush shape of Saskatoon Seedlings.. ............................................................................ 21
Figure 9: Survey of Saskatoon seedling heights.. ......................................................................... 22
Figure 10: Saskatoon seedlings in Block 16. ................................................................................ 23
Figure 11: Flavour analysis of ‘Block 16 Saskatoons’. .................Error! Bookmark not defined.
Figure 12: Comparisons of our better tasting Saskatoons to previous studies ............................. 25
Figure 13. Tetraploid strawberries that were saved as bulk seeds.. ............................................. 27
Figure 14:Example of a Germplasm List ...................................................................................... 29
Figure 15: Online request form(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/requestform.html) ............................. 30
Figure 16: Wild fruits gathered while on sabbatical. .................................................................... 38
List of Tables
Table 1: Relative Crop Importance ............................................................................................... 12
Table 2: Fruit trees revitalized through grafting from 2008 to 2010. ........................................... 14
Table 3 Evaluation of Saskatoon berry flavour and yield by row. ............................................... 23
Table 4: Tree fruit Germplasm Distributed over the last 3 years ................................................. 31
Table 5:Strawberry Crosses .......................................................................................................... 35
Table 6: Germinated strawberries ................................................................................................. 36
Table 7:Apple Crosses Incorporating Non-Hardy Genetics ......................................................... 37
Table 8: Fruit Related Documents ................................................................................................ 39
4
Executive Summary
This ADF project allowed us to revitalize our germplasm collection at the University of
Saskatchewan Fruit Program. We also acquired 70 new clonal accessions, 50 seedling families,
and over 1200 wild Lonicera caerulea. Approximately 30 acres of fruit collections were
maintained and improved. Apples, plums, saskatoons, cherry plums, sandcherries, currants and
strawberries were the crops which needed and received major renovations through drastic
pruning or were propagated and relocated.
Record keeping and labeling was brought up to the computer age. Previously, planting plans
and acquisition records were kept in an assortment of record books (some decades old) and
loose-leaf files. Now they are in Excel files, complete with maps, locations, as well as lists of
accessions by species.
In the field, most of the labels were wooden stakes that had rotted. Fortunately, we had taken
measurements within each row for each family or named variety at the time of planting to keep
the plants straight. Now, we have metal tags on most of our tree fruit collection.
Our webpage had a dated design with an unwieldy address; something like:
www.usask.ca/ag.college/plant.sciences.dept/dom.fruit.program /index/ . It was basically a page
with a listing of about 10 articles and minimal photography. The webpage had no indication that
we even had an extensive collection of fruit. Now we have a website with separate pages for
major fruit crops, calendar of events, links listings for major crops, germplasm collections, etc.
The website has a fresh look about it, with our own photos and has a name easy to remember
www.fruit.usask.ca ! Each of the technicians in our program, and the principal investigator, are
now well versed in using digital cameras and associated software.
The improved website has brought us closer to growers and improved our dissemination of
information. It has been an important source of information to the press which in turn helps with
publicity for our fruit industry. It also has brought us new research contacts around the globe
and likely played a role in our new graduate students from BC and Nova Scotia wanting to do
research in our program. We have received requests and supplied fruit samples to a few dozen
companies and research institutes in the last few years with many of the request stemming from
visiting our website.
With this project we ‘caught up’ on in many areas of preserving our germplasm but it also
organized record keeping and information sharing for the future. We have also gained new
skills in photography and website creation that will make our jobs more effective in helping our
growers.
5
1
Introduction
Cold hardy fruit germplasm has the potential to serve a vital role for the food security of prairie
provinces, and cold climates in general. According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural
Organization, “Countries around the world will need to draw on [genebanks] to respond to
growing environmental pressures, such as climate change and unknown pests and plant diseases,
and to feed a rapidly expanding population.” Importing 100% of our fruit from warmer climates
may not be a sustainable. By maintaining cultivars specifically suited for cold continental
environments, a hardy fruit genebank ensures that growing locally remains an option for people
in Prairie Provinces.
A cold climate location is vital to the preservation of this germplasm. In warmer genebank
collections like those in Harrow Ontario or Corvallis Oregon, cold hardy cultivars would
succumb to disease and pest pressure for which they have no resistance. Most cultivars would be
unable to cope with the warmer climate and warmer winters. Still, similar cold hardy collections
across Canada have lost funding and their survival is doubtful. The Morden research station in
Manitoba and Brooks research station in Alberta are examples of collections which are being
dismantled or abandoned. The Vavilov Institute in Russia, another refuge for cold hardy fruit
germplasm, is slated for demolition to make way for housing units. As these significant
collections dwindle, the Prairie Fruit Genebank (PFG) becomes an increasingly important
resource.
The PFG seeks to fulfill its role of Genebank by; preserving its cold hardy germplasm, making
this germplasm available to researchers, sharing information about the cultivars in the collection
and making fruit available for food research. Preserving the collection starts with maintaining
the identities of the plants in the field. This necessitates field labeling as well as taking inventory
and prioritizing existing collections. Extensive field work is also needed to preserve the
collection. This field work includes propagating endangered selections, pest and weed control,
as well as general maintenance which could include pruning, renovation, weeding and
cultivating.
Making the germplasm available to interested breeders and researchers requires both field work,
and online activity. In the field, activities like stool bed pruning, pruning for budwood, rooted
cutting propagation and seed collection ensures that the germplasm is available upon request.
Online activity includes posting lists of the germplasm in our collection for general review,
posting contact information and creating an online infrastructure where requests for germplasm
can be managed. Although germplasm is distributed in a number of forms, the PFG has shipped
mostly budwood in the last three years.
Information regarding cultivars in our collection has also been made available as part of the PFG.
This information is valuable to researchers, breeders, and growers during cultivar selection.
Extensive data has been compiled concerning the germplasm in the PFG collection. This data
comes in the form of breeder’s notebooks, historical documents, loose-leaf notes, publications,
6
and oral and written communication with genebank staff. This data is posted online as it
becomes available.
Some researchers require fruit for analysis or food studies. Crops are harvested each season and
stored in a -40C freezer until it they are needed. Cherries and Haskap were harvested in 2008,
2009 and 2010. Saskatoons were harvested in 2009. Other crops including plums, sandcherries
or chokecherries are harvested upon request.
Project Goals
•
•
•
•
Preserve and increase the diversity of fruit crops suitable for prairie growers.
Increase the availablity of material through collection maintenance and online activity.
Share information with growers and organizations on prairie hardy fruit cultivars. This
includes crop descriptions and crop related documents whenever available.
Make fruit available for research involving nutritional studies or creation of valueadded products.
7
2
History
The University of Saskatchewan has the largest collection of praire fruit varieties and is the
coldest location in North America where fruit is being bred. Fruit breeding and research goes
back to 1920 at the U of S. In recent years, the U of S has become known for breeding of
cherries, blue honeysuckles and apples. These acheivements are possible only because of
extensive collections at the U of S. For other fruit crops the most recent improvements were
done in the 1970’s which makes collections at other institutions potentially useful for future
breeding efforts. This project has helped to preserve, revitalize and utilize this collection and
gather additional germplasm.
From the late 1940’s to the late 1970’s seven institutions across the prairie provinces were
involved in the Prairie Fruit Breeding Cooperative. Besides the U of S, only the Brooks
Research Station, AB and Morden Research Station, MB still have collections of fruit. However,
Morden and Brooks research stations are no longer involved in fruit research or breeding and it is
uncertain whether these collections will continue. Neither research station has a fruit specialist
nor a mandate to do fruit research. As collections at other research stations begin to be
disassembled, the collections at the U of S will become the last remaining plant collection of its
kind.
The U of S fruit program has perhaps the world’s best collections of Saskatoons, dwarf sour
cherries, tetraploid strawberries, and blue honeysuckles (Haskap). It also incudes an impressive
collections of prairie apples, plums, strawberries, black Currants, pears, apricots, cherry-plums,
sandcherries, chokecherries, mongolian cherries and highbush cranberries. Our breeding
program and our collection of fruit have provided the genetic material for new fruit varieties on
the prairies, as well as serving as start up material of older varieties for nurseries. By carrying out
the Prairie Fruit Genebank project, it is assured that this material will be available for generations
to come.
Despite the wet weather conditions in 2010, we have ensured that the germplasm at the
University of Saskatchwan is more accessible than ever before. Clear plot plans, labels, and
online availability of information has made the germplasm even more available for researchers
and breeders. Pruning for propagation has allowed this germplasm to be available should the
need arise.
One of the most important tools that has allowed the PFG to fulfill the needs of individuals and
organizations is the website(http://fruit.usask.ca/pfg_index.html) . Lists of germplasm and
instructions for ordering allow the stock to be easily accessed by everyone. This website also
offers a forum to share some of the information and documents accumulated by the U of S Fruit
Program over the past 60 years.
8
3
Preserving the Collection
Preservation of the germplasm includes activities like; keeping weeds in check, preventing
sunscald, pest control, cultivation, propagating at risk cultivars, etc. It also includes maintaining
identification of cultivars using plot plans and records.
3.1
Genebank Location
The Genebank collections are located in Saskatoon, SK, on the University of Saskatchwan
campus. This cold climate location is ideal for the success of a PFG. Hardy cultivars are
adapted to deal with the specific challenges posed by a cold, continental environment.
They are not, however, adapted for warmer climates. While warmer climates do not have
challenging winter conditions, there are other environmental factors challenging the plants
of those regions. Disease and pest pressure being the most significant. Prairie hardy
cultivars often lack resistance to these environmental pressures. For this reason, the
preservation of Prairie Hardy cultivars requires a cold northern location.
3.2
Inventory and prioritizing of existing collections
At the beginning of 2008, the fruit collection consisted of 17 fruit crops which covered
about 25 acres (Figure 1). What makes much of our collection unique is that our hybrids
are often commercial cultivars hybridized with cold hardy species, thus enabling the plants
to survive Saskatchewan conditions. As we are the coldest place in North America where
fruit is bred, we have developed germplasm over several generations which cannot be
found anywhere else. Some of our collections are considered ‘World Class’; notably
Saskatoons, Haskap and interspecific Strawberries (see Table 5).
9
Figure 1: Fruit plantings in 2008. The map above shows only larger plantings. Miscellaneous
includes: seabuckthorn, Nanking cherries, double flowered plums, red currants, cherry plums,
ornamental cherry hybrids or small amounts of some of the other crops listed above.
10
Figure 2: Fruit plots as of Jan 2011. The major areas of expansion were Haskap and Grape. But
several areas were renovated or had plants propagated.
Table 1 below indicates the relative importance of our fruit collection when compared to
world and other collections in the prairies. Also noted is importance for our breeding
program: a single ‘*’ indicates some crosses have been done, but ‘***’ indicates major
efforts involved.
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Table 1: Relative Crop Importance
Crop
Importance
World Prairie Breeding
Apples
*
***
***
Apricots
-
*
*
Black Currants
-
***
-
Cherry Plums
*
-
*
Chokecherries
-
*
*
Haskap
***
**
***
Hazelnuts
*
***
**
Highbush
Cranberries
-
-
-
Missouri
Currants
**
**
**
Pears
-
*
*
Plums
-
*
*
*
*
Raspberries
Sandcherries
-
-
*
Saskatoons
***
***
***
Sour Cherries
**
***
***
Strawberries
***
-
**
Sea Buckthorn
Comments
Substantial breeding collection
representing 80+ years of breeding effort
A few prairie cultivars and seedlings
20 cultivars mostly from Native Fruit
Program, likely largest collection on
Prairie
A dozen old cultivars, somewhat rare but
economically not much potential
Unique, collected from the best of PFRA
20 years ago
World’s most diverse collection. Only
collection of Canadian Haskap with
substantial Japanese and Russian
accessions
Rare hybrids between wild Canadian and
advanced lines from Oregon State
A few cultivars
Rather rare collection of 15 cultivars and
thousands of their seedlings. This is a
North American species with much larger
fruit than black current
Hybrids between 3 species
A couple dozen, uncommon Prairie
cultivars plus seedlings crosses with large
fruited BC cultivars
Collection of hardy cultivars being used in
breeding
Collected from wild and growers, perhaps
value as an ornamental crop, some long
term potential but needs work
World’s best collection, includes
thousands of seedlings gathered from
farmers
For demonstration purposes
Very unique hybrids between Mongolian
and sour cherries after 60+ years of
breeding. Descendants of breeding
programs.
World’s most diverse and largest
collection of interspecific tetraploid
hybrids. Value is only for long term
improvement & basic research.
12
3.3
Plot Plans
Plot plans are essential for preserving the identities of the cultivars and seedlings in the
PFG collection. Plot plans including exploded view maps were adopted for to reduce
confusion when reviewing the location of plants in the field. Previously plot plans were
mostly in old record books and in files. Only a few were on a computer but there was no
standard design. Our 6 newest seedling plots had their data entered in this way. Within
rows, measurements were taken where each family is located. That way if labels are ever
removed we will still be able to identify each plant. Plots scheduled to be removed in the
near future were not categorized like this. We will be using this format for all new
plantings.
Figure 3: Sample Plot Plan. Data from our 6 newest plantings were put in the same format in
Excel. Breeding plots had special maps created for field use. Older records were consolidated
3.4
Field Activities
Much of our field activities involved pruning, weeding, and propagation. In particular our
apple trees and native fruit collection were greatly revitalized. These areas had been
neglected, particularly since the native fruit program had been cancelled 5 years ago.
13
Severe flooding hampered field work and tractor access in 2010. Significant time and
resources were diverted to pumping water from plots, moving plants which were flooded,
and hand weeding where tractor access was impossible. Despite these efforts, flooding has
killed some seedlings, however, no significant cultivars have shown damage yet. The plots
were ripped by a drainage plow in fall 2010 which we hope will prevent additional
flooding from runoff in spring 2011.
3.4.1 Propagating endangered accessions
Many of our tree fruits were at risk of dying; especially those over 30 years old.
Renovations started in 2008 and continued through 2009 and 2010. Priorities were based
not only on the value of the crops but also their condition. Apples and other valuable
germplasm are replicated at least twice, preferably on 2 different rootstocks. This
redundancy increases the probability of germplasm preservation. The grafting work is
summarized in Table 2. Propagation of other species is listed by species in section 2.5.
Table 2: Fruit trees revitalized through grafting from 2008 to 2010.
ID
Stock Location
Method†
SX05-02
9-74
JB
TW C#300
19-10-56 N-NW
JB
TW SX08-18
19-10-56 NE
JB
TW SX08-14
19-10-56 Centre SE
JB
TW SX08-13
19-10-56 SW
JB
TW SX08-16
10-3-5
JB
TW SX08-17
19-10-75 NW and 19-8-73 base
JB
4-5-14
10-6-17
JB
4-5-14
10-3-17
JB
SX 08-19
19-10-57
JB
18-10-32
4-30-18
JB
18-11-5
10-11-18
JB
10s-3-1.3
10-3-3
JB
TW SX08-16
10-3-5
JB
TW SX07-01
19-10-78and77
JB
SX07-02
19-8-75 and 19-8-73
JB
Capilino #1 Apricot
19-2-74.5and 75
JB
Wescot
19-2-77.5
JB
Leo #1
19-2-75.5
JB
Leo #2
19-2-76
JB
Trailman Crab
TW 19-10-57SE
JB
PF44
TW 19-10-59NW
JB
PF47
TW 19-10-59
JB
Transcendant
TW 19-1059SE
JB
Minn 1728
TW 19-10-59NE
JB
Date
July 3, 08
Aug. 15, 08
Aug. 15, 08
Aug. 15, 08
Aug. 15, 08
Aug. 15, 08
Aug. 15, 08
Aug. 18, 08
Aug. 18, 08
Aug. 20, 08
Aug. 25, 08
Aug. 25, 08
Aug. 14, 09
Aug. 14, 09
Aug. 17, 09
Aug. 17, 09
Aug. 17, 09
Aug. 24, 09
Aug. 25, 09
Aug. 25, 09
Aug. 25, 09
Aug. 25, 09
Aug. 25, 09
Aug. 26, 09
Aug. 26, 09
14
SX10-15
TW 4-1-17W
WT
May 20, 10
SX10-14
TW 15-8-2
WT
May 20, 10
SX09-43
10-7-33.5 and 10-8-33.5
MC
June 2, 10
Stoke Red
10-5-2
WT
May 11, 10
Brown’s Apple
10-5-3
WT
Michelin
10-5-4
WT
May 11, 10
Tremletts Bitter
10-5-6
WT
May 11, 10
Bulmer Norman
10-5-7and 10-5-8
WT
May 11, 10
Honeycrisp
AR7-1-5.7
JB
Aug. 16, 10
4-18-42
10-10-7 and10-10-8
JB
Aug. 20, 10
10s-1-47.0
10-6-3, 6
JB
Aug. 24, 10
10s-2-1.4
10-9-22 and 10-10-26
JB
Aug. 24, 10
10s-2-15.5
10-9-22 and 23
JB
Aug. 24, 10
10s-3-1.3
10-10-13 and 14
JB
Aug. 24, 10
10s-3-2.0
10-6-22 and 23
JB
Aug. 24, 10
10s-3-5.6
10-10-17 and 18
JB
Aug. 24, 10
10s-3-5.9
10-10-12 and 13
JB
Aug. 24, 10
10s-11-19.3
10-10-15 and 16
JB
Aug. 24, 10
4-34-25.8
10-9-8
JB
Aug. 20, 10
4-36-17.9
10-6-10 and 16
JB
Aug. 24, 10
4-36-67.3
10-9-7
JB
Aug. 20, 10
4-37-11.9
10-9-24 and 26
JB
Aug. 24, 10
4-38-58.9
10-9-18 and 19
JB
Aug. 24, 10
†: JB - Jones Bud WT - Whip and Tongue Graft MC – Mini Cleft Graft
3.4.2 Pest and Weed Control
In addition to renovations, extensive weeding and pest control was continued from 2008
to present. Pest and weed control is integral to the maintenance of healthy germplasm.
Mouse bait was used extensively for rodent control. GF 120 Naturalite, a fruit fly bait
containing spinosad, was used in 2009 and 2010 to control fruit fly populations. Some
problem patches of Canadian thistle are located on our plots. Lontrel was applied in 2009
and 2010 to control it. Casoron (dichlobenil) was used for seedling establishment in
2008, 2009, and 2010. Casoron is a fall applied pre-emergent that greatly increases the
probability of seedling and rooted cutting survival. Hand weeding remains one of the
only approaches for collection maintenance on many occasions. It is difficult and time
consuming and is replaced with mulching or chemical weed control whenever possible.
3.4.3 Field Labels
Metal labels were created for all named tree fruit varieties as well as our advanced tree
fruit selections. Because tree fruits can be so long lived, their labels were embosed with a
special lettering machine and the labels are held on with wires. Special metal labels were
made for identifying advanced selections in seedling fields. These had a ‘matte’ finish
that allows pencil to write on them. It seems hard to believe but these ‘pencil on metal’
lables can last for decades. Felt marker lables can fade after a few months if the wrong
15
type is used and after a year or two if the right type is chosen. But markers do well on
wood, which can rot or crack.
Figure 4:Permanent Tree Tags
3.5
Crop Particulars
3.5.1 Apples
Apples had major fireblight problem in our collection and across the province (and
actually across Canada and Northern USA). Particularly troublesome was the prairies
favourite dwarfing rootstock, Ottawa 3, which seems particularly susceptible.
Comparison of susceptible and resistance between our location and growers in Regina
indicate there may be at least two strains of fireblight in the province.
It was observed that our germplasm has resistance and susceptible genotypes in the field.
When Dr. Bors visited growers in Michigan, he was suprised to hear that ‘Bud 9’
rootstock was their prefered resistant rootstock. Bud 9 was one of the parents used in our
rootstock breeding efforts. A Michigan extension agents described it as very rare to have
an infected tree ‘stop’ an infection after a few inches. But that phenomenon was
observed on many of our varities and seedlings.
Although we had been gearing up to propagate our older trees onto Ottawa 3, the
fireblight problem derailed those plans. We have begun to propagate some of our own
rootstocks but they need further testing to determine resistance especially to whatever
strain may be in the Regina area. It is beyond the scope of this grant to initiate major
fireblight screening experiments and breeding for resistance.
To preserve germplasm of apple cultivars in the collection, all essential cultivars are
backed up by topworking the accessions onto other apple trees. Most cultivars are
16
maintained in at least two locations on the plots. This practice offers a reassuring level of
redundancy when considering the preservation of germplasm. Stoolbed maintenance is
also performed every spring. Cutting stoolbeds back to the soil preserves the juvenility
of the resulting cuttings, increasing rooting percentages. As a result, the U of S stool
beds are of considerable juvenility, and are an importand source of rootstock for nurseries
and commercial growers.
Pruning is also essential for apple cultivar preservation. Without proper pruning, most
apples would develop weak crotches which could split. Without pruning apple trees
could potentially disintegrate after several heavy crops. Extensive spring pruning using
chainsaws, pneumatic pruners, and hand pruners ensures these cultivars are kept healthy
and viable.
Figure 5: Top worked apples. New grafts are on the left, year old grafts on the right.
Germplasm is initially preserved in this way, and budgrafted on its own rootstock if it proves
hardy.
3.5.2 Black Currants
Our black current collection was ‘bequeathed’ to us from the defunct “Native Fruit
Program’. It consist of 2 plots each containing 12 varieties and 3 reps. This collection
had been in need of rejuvenation even prior to when we were in charge of it. One rep of
Black Currants was renovated in each of the two plantings. Renovation involved drastic
prunning, mowing down plants and undercutting portions of the bushes. We will likely
keep only the renovated reps and remove the others as this crop is not a high priority with
growers. Weeding and cultivation are ongoing to preserve this collection.
3.5.3 Cherry Plums
These were successfully propagated and moved to a new location. As the new plantings
become well established we will remove the original planting.
17
3.5.4 Haskap
Older fields are being eliminated as newer fields come into bearing, but important
germplasm was saved. The Russian cultivar collection and a few superior advanced
selections from block 6 & 7 were relocated and the rest of the plants destroyed. 6 rows
were in block 11 has also been removed. A large plot was established for the wild
haskap gathered as part of Dr. Bors’s sabbatical. Work with Haskap is ongoing as part
of ADF # 20060140 and more details are included in that report.
3.5.5 Hazelnuts
The hybrid hazelnut patch is used for seedling production for our cooperative breeding
program with growers. Ongoing weeding, cultivation and pest control is used to preserve
this collection. These hybrids are very unique and could be someday result in
commercially viable varieties for Saskatchewan. They are hybrids between cold hardy
breeding lines of Les Kerr (former head of the Saskatoon Forestry Farm in the 1960s to
1980s) and advanced breeding line from the Oregon breeding program (largest hazelnut
breeding program in the world). These hybrids are not quite hardy but nut quality is
better than any others that can be grown here. By selling and distributing these seedlings
throughout the prairies, we hope to find worthwhile plants in the next generation.
Growers sign an agreement with us that allows us the sole rights to propagate and release
new varieties from their stock. See appendix. Each year during this project over 1000
seedlings were raised and sold to growers. Proceeds from these plant sales added
additional funding for this project.
3.5.6 Pears
Many pear seedlings showed severe damage in the last 3 years, especially in 2010, but
most named varieties were ok. The surviving seedlings are being maintained and will be
evaluated when they are old enough to fruit. Pear rootstocks were propagated in 2010 to
graft the cultivars, many of which are 30 years old.
It was observed in 2010 that some of our pears may be dwarfs, which is not known to
occur with pears. We are using cold hardy species that aren’t usually used in pear
breeding, so perhaps no other breeding program has used the combination of parents that
we have. Unfortunately, prairie hardy pears are of horrible quality; hopefully some
worthwhile varieties from our program will emerge in the years to come. But if our pears
are useful as dwarfing rootstocks, perhaps royalty income could be generated from the
release of a rootstock variety. It could also be useful for landscaping business for
rootstocks of ornamental flowering pears.
3.5.7 Plums
The plums are not in immediate danger but few of them can provide worthwhile scions or
budwood. Many of the varieties that were on their own roots were propagated in 2009 by
cuttings. But because of the heavy rains these were held over to be planted in 2011.
18
Our seedling plums are coming into bearing. These plums are crosses between several
large fruit BC varieties and our prairie plums. We now have hardy plums with red flesh
and mild flavors but unfortunately the 1st plums that have started fruiting are not large. In
most fruit crops, small size is dominant and may take 2 or 3 generations to significantly
increase size. The cultivar collection is being used as ‘standards’ to compare the
seedlings.
3.5.8 Raspberries
In 2007, our raspberry varieties were crossed with Ag Canada breeding lines at the Ag
Canada research facility in Nova Scotia. In 2009 we received the seeds after over a year
of negotiations between U of SK and Ag Canada Lawyers. The seeds were germinated
in 2010 and approximately 400 seedlings were fall planted. Another 200 were too small
at the time and may be planted in 2011.
A collection of primocane raspberry varieties (Fall bearers) are also being maintained.
These could be an important source of germplasm for future breeding. Some of these
advanced selection from breeding done over 20 years ago at the U of SK.
3.5.9 Sandcherries
Most of the sandcherry patch (~100 plants) was renovated in the spring of 2010. Plants
with black coloured fruit (wild type) were cut down to the ground. Those that had yellow
and red fruit (very rare) were left intact, in hopes that these would cross pollinate and
give a higher percentage of brightly coloured progeny. Unfortunately heavy rains
occurred during bloom time and fruit set was very low. Now the ‘wild types’ are in
effect renovated and healthy while the handful of desirable brightly-coloured types are in
need of renovation.
3.5.10 Saskatoons
Two reps of the Saskatoon cultivar patch (16 Cultivars) were cut back for renovation in
2008 and 2009. It was thought that by renovating one rep per year that this will serve as
an excellent demonstration of renovation in a couple of years.
In 1998 and 1999 the Native Fruit Program placed ads in the ‘Western Producer’ asking
readers to send fruit of their favourite wild Saskatoons. This resulted in over 2000
seedlings being field planted in 33 families in Block 16 a few years later. In 2009 and
2010 this collection was evaluated to determine its value. The following figures
summarize the evaluations that were done. These figures were included in talks to the
Saskatchewan Fruit Growers, the Saskatchewan Society of Arborists. Also, Dr. Bors was
an invited speaker at the 2010 International Horticulture Congress and spoke about
“Possibilities and limitations of Amelanchier alnifolia (Saskatoon) germplasm”.
In the early 2000’s when the ‘Native Fruit Program’ was in its heyday, upright harvesters
were the most common harvesters used by the more progressive Saskatoon growers.
19
Growers considered varieties, such as Thiessen, with narrow upright growth to be best
since it more easily fit into machinery (Figure 6). By 2007, most leaders of the
Saskatoon industry had switched to sideways harvesters. Growers have also switched to
planting more of ‘Northline’ rather than ‘Theissen’ because of the suitability of
‘Northline’ for sideways harvesting.
Figure 6:Upright and sideways harvesters. Sideways harvesters are gaining popularity because it
causes less fruit damage and can better handle spreading type bushes. The above are entry level
type machines that require a tractor to pull them. More expensive models are self-propelled.
The sideways harvester above was used in our Saskatoons in 2009. The University has since
purchased one for future fruit research.
20
Figure 7: Guidelines for classifying bush shape were drawn from an Ag.Canada Plant Breeder's
Rights document that gave generic descriptions for shrubs. At present there are no PBR
descriptors for Saskatoons.
Figure 8: Bush shape of Saskatoon Seedlings. 772 seedlings were evaluated from 33 families.
'Arching' and 'bushy rounded' shapes were considered most desirable for sideways harvesting.
Those shapes also had better sunlight penetration and air movement than ‘upright bushy’ or
‘narrow upright’ and likely lead to better fruit quality and perhaps lower disease incidence.
21
Figure 9: Survey of Saskatoon seedling heights. The desirable bush size was estimated to be
greater than 1.5m and less than 2.3m. Those heights are ideal for sideways harvesters and easier
hand picking.
22
Figure 10: Saskatoon seedlings in Block 16 after harvesting with a sideways harvester. The row
on the left has a spreading canopy shape and has no damage while the right row with upright
canopy shape is highly damaged.
Table 3 Evaluation of berry flavour and yield by row of the Saskatoon seedling orchard in Block
16. Yield was loosely based on number of containers which held approximately 10kgs of
berries. Because we were borrowing a harvester for one day only, we had to bulk each row and
could not stop to evaluate individual families. This was done in 2009. Because these were bulk
fruit this ‘fast’ study is an estimate of the potential for this field.
Row
1
2
3
4
5
6
8
10
11
12
14
16
17
18
19
20
21
24
25
Yield
70
70
60
40
150
80
50
60
70
70
80
60
60
60
80
70
20
60
100
flavour
2.7
2.3
3.3
1.7
1.0
2.3
2.0
3.0
1.7
1.7
3.0
1.5
2.0
1.0
1.8
1.7
2.7
1.0
1.0
notes
tangy
sweet
bland
mealy, seedy
Very upright, a bit dry
like dirt
almondy
nice flavour
bland, low sugar
very poor flavour
some fruit big
little 'off' flavour
grass flavour
seedy
23
26
28
29
30
31
32
35
36
Average
60
70
50
50
70
60
20
50
64.5
1.0
2.7
2.7
2.7
2.5
2.2
2.8
3.3
2.1
seedy (prob same as row 25)
sweet and tangy
interesting
sour
nice texture
firm
24
Figure 11: Comparisons of our better tasting Saskatoons to previous studies of Saskatoon
cultivars. Weight, pH and Brix (sugar measurement) were taken for those berries deemed ‘good’
or ‘very good’ tasting. These were compared to results from a ‘Native Fruit Program’ study
The evaluations of the Saskatoon seedling field indicate that there may be valuable
germplasm in the collection. It may especially be important in the future since growers
25
have switched to different harvesting machines. Our quick survey gave us a clear idea
regarding which traits are rare vs. those that are more common. Ideal bush shape was
only 20% of the population. Very good flavour was only 17% but ideal height was fairly
common at 47%. The odds of finding a seedling with all 3 desirable attributes would be
.20 x .17 x.47 = 0.0159 or 1.6%. It may be possible in the future to find some selections
worthy of releasing as new varieties in the seedling field. 2010 was too wet and full of
diseases to allow meaningful selections for fruit quality. Perhaps when the renovated
cultivar trials are back in production we can have standards to compare to this collection.
In terms of maintenance, ongoing cultivation is being used to maintain this field. A
severe Canada thistle problem has also required the application of herbicides in 2009 and
2010. Dead branches caused by the sporadic damage of the mechancical harvester have
been cleared. Seeds from Saskatoon seedlings was collected in 2009 as a backup of
germplasm.
3.5.11 Seabuckthorn
The seabuckthorn collection consists of a few cultivars and has minimal use as a
demonstration plot for students and visitors. Some East German clones may be of
interest and are being maintained through cultivation and weeding.
We have received some seabuckthorn seeds from Russia via Northern Vigour Berries (a
SK fruit grower, Betty Forbes) which have been germinated for planting in 2012.
3.5.12 Sour Cherries
Block 7 North is currently an old sour cherry field containing the original ‘Romance’
Series Cherries. We will be using these plants for a renovation study in 2011, originally
planned for 2010. Rows will be cut down, which will provide observations as to how the
older romance cherries will perform under renovation conditions. This could prove to be
valuable information for the sour cherry industry where many romance series cherries are
planted, and may need to be renovated in the coming decades.
Mongolian cherries scattered in the two apple orchard are overgrown. Some are over 25
years old! Still, they have value in breeding to cross with pure sour cherries as a source
of cold hardiness and dwarf bush size. These still need to be propagated by seed to allow
the mother plants to be removed. Seeds from named cultivars and advanced selections
were collected in 2009 and 2010.
3.5.13 Choke Cherries, Highbush Cranberries, Missouri Currants
These plantings are well established and are of low priority. General preservation
maintenance includes cultivation and weed control. The chokecherry field was affected
by flooding this year. Despite efforts to speed up drainage by digging channels for water
to flow, some varieties on the northwest corner were severely damaged. Drainage
ripping has since been performed on the plots. We will be monitoring the affected plants
for new growth in 2011
26
3.5.14 Strawberries
In preparation for renovation of block 7, seeds were gathered and processed from the
better interspecific strawberries and bulked into categories based on species
combinations: F.nilgerensis hybrids, F. moschata hybrids, F.vesca hybrids, and complex
hybrids. These are all 4x strawberries that are descendants of plants for Dr. Bors’s Ph.D.
thesis research. Although the field planting had hundreds of families, it was decided that
keeping track of each berry’s exact lineage was not worth the effort since this collection
is a long ways from having commercial potential.
Controlled crosses were also done between 20 superior clones. These clones will be kept
and the seeds germinated.
Figure 12. Tetraploid strawberries that were saved as bulk seeds. These have unusual flavour
and disease resistance but require many generations to introgress into cultivars.
27
4
Collection Availability and Distribution
Making the germplasm available to interested breeders and researchers is a two tiered process,
including both field work, and online activity. In the field, activities like stool bed pruning,
budwood pruning, rooted cutting propagation and seed collection ensures that the germplasm is
available upon request. Lists of the germplasm in our collection are posted online for general
review. Contact information and order forms have been posted online to facilitate germplasm
requests.
4.1
Stool Beds
Stool bed maintenance is required to increase or preserve the juvenility of germplasm,
which in turn increases rooting efficiency of bare root cuttings. Without stool beds most
cultivars would not be able to be propagated in any form other than grafting. The PFG
maintains several stoolbeds including: Ottawa #3 apple rootstock, V3 apple rootstock, bud
9 apple rootstock, bud 491 apple rootstock, p2 apple rootstock, p22 apple rootstock,
Ottawa #8 apple rootstock, 21-42-31 apple rootstock, V1 apple rootstock, Carmine Jewel
Cherry, Juliet Cherry, Cupid Cherry, Romeo Cherry, Valentine Cherry, and Crimson
Passion Cherry. These beds are pruned down every spring. We also have stoolbeds our
own apple rootstocks which are being maintained.
4.2
Budwood
Branches from trees which contain buds which are ideal for grafting are referred to as
budwood. Budwood is sometimes produced naturally by a tree, especially if it has been
damaged by heavy crops or animals, but usually specialized pruning is required to induce
the budwood production. The PFG maintains some commonly requested cultivars for
budwood every year. Most of these cultivars are recently released apple cultivars.
Requests for budwood require that a cultivar be specially pruned that season.
4.3
Online Availability
The online component of the genebank enhances the availability of the germplasm in our
collection. By posting lists(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/pfg_index.html ) of the cultivars
maintained by the PFG it is possible for researchers around the world to view our
collection. These lists are compiled for all major crops using data from multiple sources in
the University of Saskatchewan Fruit Program files. These lists represent a significant
investment of resources due to the volume of data which needed to be converted to
electronic format. Figure 13 gives an example of one of these lists.
28
Figure 13:Example of a Germplasm List
The next step for making germplasm available was the online infrastructure necessary for
request. For this purpose, an online request form was written. A specific type of webpage
known as a php page(Figure 14) was used to create this request form. The requests are
diverted to the email of PFG staff to be sorted and filled. Contact information was also
listed for PFG staff to facilitate personal requests.
29
Figure 14: Online request form(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/requestform.html)
4.4 Distribution
Germplasm has been distributed to growers and nurseries across the prairies over the last several
years. Approximately 80% of the distribution is to Saskatchewan growers and nurseries. The
germplasm is distributed in the form of budwood, scions, seedlings, rooted cuttings and seeds.
Budwood is a branch which contains buds from a desired cultivar which can be grafted on
appropriate rootstock. In most cases the budded variety is allowed to grow as the main trunk,
leaving the roostock as supporting structure. Scionwood are branches which are grafted on to
receptive cultivars whole. This is done using various grafting techniques including whip and
tongue grafting. Rooted cuttings are made by rooting juvenile wood from the parent trees. Table
4 lists the germplasm distributed since 2008.
30
Table 4: Tree fruit Germplasm Distributed over the last 3 years as budwood and scion. Virtually
all of the newer apple orchards being planted in Saskatchewan originate from our budwood.
Cultivar
Form
4-5-14
4-5-24
4-6-48
4-10-36
4-10-43
4-11-48
4-13-43
4-15-50
4-16-14
4-18-31
4-19-7
4-21-46
5-2-43
5-2-52
5-4-14
5-6-33
5-12-23
5-19-7
5-19-20
18-4-6
18-6-11
18-7-9
18-7-10
18-8-9
18-10-32
18-17-11
18-19-13
18-22-23
Prairie Sun
Goodland
Honeycrisp
Norkent
Norland
PF51
Ott #3
Apples
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Budwood
Softwood Cuttings
Brookgold
Ptit #5
Geen Elf
Patterson Pride
Plums
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Quantity (#buds, scions, etc.)
2008
2009
2010
43
20
10
54
106
167
256
40
15
40
60
80
100
248
154
13
5
15
5
15
15
77
5
5
5
15
15
25
15
15
3
2445
15
15
440
237
21
29
5
40
15
20
30
5
8
51
65
25
105
60
50
8
30
10
10
10
94
20
60
1470
60
60
620
100
105
350
10
30
8
55
2000
20
10
10
10
10
31
Geddes
Prairie
Pembina
Perfection
Brookred
Elite
Supreme
Acme
Ptitsin #9
Fofonoff
PG14-22
PG18-4
Canwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
10
Manor
Dura
New Oka
Cherry Plums
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
10
10
10
Thomas
4-1-47
Pear
Scionwood/Budwood
Scionwood/Budwood
Wescot
Apricot
Scionwood/Budwood
Juliet
Cupid
Valentine
Crimson Passion
Romeo
Carmine Jewel
Borealis
Tundra
9-15
Sour Cherries
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood Cuttings
Haskap
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood Cuttings
Softwood Cuttings
50
10
6
3
8
10
519
278
232
244
150
25
114
108
133
74
34
111
102
100
32
5
Building the collection
Making more germplasm available to growers and breeders will enhance the PFG’s role as a
source of prairie hardy germplasm. Efforts have been made to reach out to individuals,
nurseries, and organizations in order to obtain additional cultivars for our collection.
It should be noted that increasing the availability of germplasm poses unique challenges in
northern climates. The genetic variation in fruiting plants in general is extensive, however, most
of this variation is contained in plants which are not hardy enough for our winters. This poses a
unique challenge as we diversify our collection. One way to approach this problem is through
breeding. By obtaining diverse, non-hardy germplasm and crossing it with hardy germplasm, we
are able to produce seedlings which are hardy and carry the diverse genetics. An example of this
type of genetic preservation can be seen with our plums. Rick Sawatzky has crossed our hardy
plums with red fleshed, mild plums, usually grown in California. The offspring have the genetic
background from the good tasting California plums with the hardiness from Canadian plums.
5.1
Institutional relationships
5.1.1 Brooks, AB
Brooks Alberta has ceased their fruit program. Dr. Chris Nesser who had previously run this
fruit program sent us budwood of Mongolian Cherry hybrids. Also we have Nanking cherries
that Dr. Bors gathered seeds from.
5.1.2 Old College, AB
A list of tree fruits at Olds College was sent to Rick Sawatzky who requested budwood of a
dozen varieties that do not have. They gave the budwood to Dr. Bors at a conference in Jan
2011.
5.1.3 Unity, SK
We received Apple budwood from Jim Coutts, who is continuing his father’s amateur apple
breeding program in Unity Saskatchewan. The elder Mr. Coutts had worked at the U of S
decades ago in Horticulture which inspired him to have his own breeding program. These and
other accessions acquired in 2008, 2009, and 2010 are listed in Appendix 1.
5.1.4 Morden, MB
The wheels of the federal government turn slowly. We received listings of germplasm and
combed through them and made requests, but have yet to receive anything from Morden. Later I
was also told they had promised to send material to the Ag Canada Clonal Genebank in Ontario.
The shipment to Ontario did not materialize either. Late in 2008/ early 2009, while Dr. Bors was
on sabbatical, Ag Canada put out a request for ‘bids’ for the entire Morden collection which
included fruit, roses, trees, everything as one big package. Linda Mathews, Who had been one
33
of the fruit programs technicians was asked to be on the committee to advise on this. She asked
my advice and relayed my 3 big concerns: Why didn’t they come to our program as the only
active fruit program in the prairies? Why don’t they break it up by crop? Why the short notice?
(Dr. Bors found out about the call for proposals only a couple days before the due date, and he
was due to go away). Despite the delays, the committee/organization that is charged with
relocating the germplasm has contacted Dr. Bors and wants him to visit in Summer of 2011, to
help evaluate and take worthwhile germplasm.
5.1.5 Vavilov Institute, Russia
Most of this germplasm was Haskap seeds which is mentioned in the Haskap ADF reports. We
also received some ‘Arctic Kiwi’ seeds. These were germinated but do not seem to be very
healthy. It is uncertain if they will survive.
5.1.6 Ag Canada’s: Canadian Clonal Genebank, ON
Dr. Bors visited them in summer of 2008. It was determined that they were not set up
sufficiently to be a reliable backup for our collection, particularly not for more cold crops like
Haskap and Saskatoons. We have sent them plums and apples in the recent past.
In 2010, Dr. Bors was invited to be one of 4 members of an external review panel for the
institution. Results of that investigation are confidential. Dr. Bors contributed many suggestions.
5.2
Grapes
Grape Germplasm continues to be received and utilized by graduate student Tyler Kaban.
It is expected that only a small number of his parental material would be hardy here.
However his Canadian Hardy accessions will be kept as well as any hardy worthwhile
seedlings that result from his project. Tyler has been in communication with amateur
grape breeders in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba and has collected accessions from
them. Much of his almost hardy material is from programs in Minnesota. We are
retaining 20 named cultivars and 10 wild accessions for future breeding, but have already
incorporated much more material into our program. The named cultivars are in various
collections around the world and there is no special need for us to preserve them, except
where we need them as parents. However, much of the Vitis riparia hardy germplasm is
very rare and some of this collection we are the only ones with it. So we will be
maintaining those accessions.
5.3
Strawberries
Strawberry seedling lines had been in refrigerator storage for six years and were in danger
of having reduced germination. A few had been germinated in 2007 but more were done
in 2008. Table 5 lists individual clones resulting from a recent project. Table 6 shows
seedling lines that were germinated because of this project. These were planted in spring
of 2009.
34
Table 5:Strawberry Crosses
I.D.
Plants I.D.
Plants I.D.
Plants
(PHxPA)xVB1
(VB1xPH)xPFxVB1xPF
(VB1xPH)xPFxVB1XPFVW12
5-2-1
AAEE-1
AAEE-2
AAEE-3
AAEE-4
AAEE-5
AB6
Aquamish 50
B01
B11
B15
B27
B3
B47
G8-1
G8-101
3
4
2
4
4
2
4
4
2
1
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
G8-141
G8-142
G8-143
G8-145
G8-146
G8-148
G8-149
G8-15
G8-150
G8-152
G8-154
G8-155
G8-157
G8-158
G8-159
G8-160
G8-161
G8-164
G8-166
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
G8-32
G8-34
G8-35
G8-37
G8-38
G8-4
G8-40
G8-41
G8-42
G8-44
G8-45
G8-46
G8-49
G8-50
G8-51
G8-52
G8-6
G8-60
G8-63
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
G8-102
G8-103
G8-105
G8-107
G8-108
G8-11
G8-113
G8-114
G8-115
G8-120
G8-124
G8-128
G8-129
G8-13
G8-130
G8-131
G8-132
G8-134
G8-136
G8-137
G8-138
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
G8-167
G8-168
G8-169
G8-170
G8-171
G8-172
G8-172
G8-173
G8-174
G8-175
G8-176
G8-177
G8-178
G8-179
G8-18
G8-19
G8-20
G8-21
G8-22
G8-23
G8-25
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
G8-64
G8-65
G8-66
G8-68
G8-7
G8-71
G8-72
G8-73
G8-75
G8-77
G8-79
G8-80
G8-81
G8-82
G8-83
G8-84
G8-85
G8-88
G8-9
G8-91
G8-96
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
35
G8-14
G8-14
1
1
G8-26
G8-27
G8-30
G8-31
1
1
1
1
G8-98
L4
ON25
ON27
1
1
1
1
Strawberry clones in our greenhouse resulted from a recent project to introgress rare
species into cultivars. Most of these are very rare hybrids that are interspecific hybrids of
three or more species. B series are the best tetraploids after five years of selection, while
G8 series are their offspring that have be treated with colchicine to become octoploids.
These hybrids can then be crossed with commercial strawberries which are also
octoploids. These crosses have a much greater chance of having fertile offspring.
Table 6: Germinated strawberries
I.D.
Plants
I.D.
225-8X
15
F5
A26 op
23
A70
32
B-10-4 Red
Plants
I.D.
Plants
29
ON29
1
F6
4
ON31
1
F7
20
ON33
1
5
F8
13
ON34
1
B20 op
32
F9
3
ON36
1
B206
32
N3 x V1 F2
32
ON37
1
B211a
8
N3 x V5 F2 (bulk)
23
ON4
1
B211b
8
OH34110
11
ON5
1
B212
24
Row8ProBNIL4xN1
32
ON8C
1
B218
27
RV-5
25
Parkside Hwy 40
1
B219
32
S-1-1
28
Q11
1
B220
32
S-1-2
9
Q13
1
B221 2X
29
S-1-3
32
Q2
1
B221 bulk
19
S-1-4
26
Sk21
1
B223
27
S-1-6
1
T4237
1
B226
12
S-1-7
32
VB13-1
1
B227
32
S-1-8
8
VB2xAB
1
B228 8X
31
S-1-B
28
VB2xNIL-1
1
B232
26
S-2-1
15
VW54x111W49xB
1
64 (2)
S-2-2
31
VW6xPEN
1
B233
23
S-2-3
19
ON2
2
Bulk
22
S-24
32
S-1-2
2
California
3
Seascape
4
Sk29
2
F12
57 (2)
Unknown
8
VB10-2
2
F13
12
VB1 x NIL - 1
6
VB1xPF
2
B232 x bulk
36
5.4
F15
29
Vb101 x bulk F. vesca
14
PF Vesca
3
F16
3
VB13 - 2
5
S-1-8
3
F20
12
VB13 x PF
19
VB13xPF
3
F22
11
VB2 x NIL - 1
22
ON1
4
F23
32
VCV x VIR2 (bulk)
27
ON3
4
F24
12
VIR #1
11
VW54x111W49
4
F25
16
VIR #10
14
RV-5
5
F26
7
VIR #2
4
RV-8
5
F27
28
VIR #3
11
Unknown
5
F28
9
VIR #5
20
VB13-2
5
F29
19
VIR #7
9
F30
12
VIR #8
6
F32
12
VIR #9
10
F33
7
VW53x111w49
F34
6
VW54x111w49
29
F35
10
VW54x14W49
32
F36
2
VW54x20DNPJ100
VW54x49xBulk Vesca
21
7
WhiteVB2xBulkVesca
15
Apples
Pollen from non-hardy apples was ordered from the genebank in Harrow Ontario in 2010.
This pollen was crossed with hardy prairie apples as summarized in Table 7. The seeds
from this cross are currently stratifying. It is hoped that these crosses will allow us to
preserve the genetics from these apples at the prairie fruit genebank. Hardy apples
including Collet, Rosybrook and Sweet Sixteen were ordered from nurseries in BC.
Table 7:Apple Crosses Incorporating Non-Hardy Genetics
Female Parent
Kerr
Kerr
Kerr
Kerr
Exeter
Exeter
Exeter
Kingston Black
Kingston Black
Kingston Black
Muscadet de dieppe
Muscadet de dieppe
4-10-43
4-10-43
Male Parent
Michelin
Yarlington Mill
Tremletts Bitter
Stokes Red
Stokes Red
Yarlington Mill
Tremletts Bitter
Autumn Delight
Exeter
Kerr
Exeter
Kerr
Tremletts Bitter
Brown’s Apple
37
4-6-48
4-6-48
5.5
Brown’s Apple
Tremletts Bitter
Sabbatical Acquisitions
Also acquired during 2008 were seeds of wild Canadian fruit gathered during Bob Bors
sabbatical. Although the Sabbatical focused on gathering Haskap, seeds of other species
were also gathered. Information on Haskap collections can be seen on the final report for
ADF#20060140. Other species gathered were: Strawberry, Saskatoon, Raspberry, and
Currants as these might be of use in breeding. Other species gathered in low numbers
included cloudberry, blueberry, aronia, wintergreen, bilberry, loganberry are more likely to
serve as demonstrations for students.
Figure 15: Wild fruits gathered while on sabbatical. While small, some of these may be useful
for breeding improved cold hardiness, improved flavours, and perhaps a higher nutritional value.
6
6.1
Information Resource Development
Historical Documents
Documents on file at the U of S have been scanned and converted to convenient electronic
formats. These documents were previously not made available to the public in any form.
These documents can be found at http://www.fruit.usask.ca/resources.html and are
summarized in Table 8.
38
Table 8: Fruit Related Documents
Title
Edible Apples in
Prairie Canada
Date
1990
Author
Roger Vick
Organization
The Friends of the
Garden, University
of Alberta Devonian
Botanic Garden
Description
A comprehensive list
including hardiness, disease
resistance, comments and
descriptions.
University of
Saskatchewan
Fruit
Introductions
1960 C.F. Patterson
University of
Saskatchewan
A list of cultivars released
by the U of S in 1960.
Includes Parentage and
descriptions.
Notes on
Sandcherry x
Plum Hybrids
1965
Unknown
University of
Saskatchewan
Descriptions of the
Sandcherry-Plum hybrids in
our collection.
Notes on Cooking 1966
with Sandcherry x
Plum Hybrids
D.R.
Robinson
University of
Saskatchewan
Cooking tests and brief
descriptions of physical
properties of whole and
processed fruit.
Hort-Facts: Apple 1985
Cultivars
C. Stushnoff,
T. Ward, R.
Sawatzky
University of
Saskatchewan
Hardiness and disease
resistance ratings as well as
descriptions of common
prairie apple cultivars.
Some horticultural
descriptions as well.
Hort-Facts: Fruit
Varieties
1976
S.H. Nelson,
K.C. Turner,
and D.R.
Robinson
University of
Saskatchewan
A list of recommended fruit
varieties with descriptions of
fruit, their relative hardiness,
as well as physical fruit
characteristics.
Tree Fruits
Grown in Prairie
Orchards
1946
W.R. Leslie
Experimental Station
Morden, Manitoba
Variety notes on Apples,
Apple-crabs, Sand Cherries,
Sour Cherries, Pears, Plums
and Plum hybrids.
6.2
Database
Initial reports regarding PFG indicated the use of a database software that was slated for
open-source release. This software was designed to link the worlds genetic collections into
one open source searchable data base. This software provides a template into which
information about each cultivar can be added, and allows this information to be searchable.
39
However, this software was not released. The PFG continues to update it’s own records in
the hopes that this software becomes available for open source additions.
Some information about cultivars has begun to be added in a grin-type format
(http://fruit.usask.ca/pfg_apples.html). The information included in these cultivar
descriptions includes parentage, release date and organization, cultivar name, pictures
where available, and notes compiled from several reliable publications. This information,
however, is not searchable as it would have been in GRIN. Having the information about
these cultivars all compiled on one page provides quick, easy reference and is valuable tool
for growers and breeders.
6.3
PFG Website
6.3.1 Training
Our technician, Peter Reimer, has taken an introductory course in adobe Dreamweaver,
an application used to create websites. Our computer has been upgraded for graphic
capabilities. Dreamweaver, photoshop and other programs needed for website building
have been installed.
6.3.2 Photography
Physical descriptions are important for fruit crops. The physical appearance of fruit is
important for the marketing fruit. In the past, physical descriptions were text based. We
have begun to catalogue our crops photographically
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/43363650@N06/sets/72157625515233652/ ) to better
serve this purpose.
6.3.3 Website Layout
The PFG website (http://fruit.usask.ca/pfg_index.html) is linked with the U of S fruit
program, but both sites maintain their unique functions. The PFG website focuses more
on all prairie hardy cultivars, recent and historical, which are contained within our
collection, and the ways in which individuals and organizations can access them.
Main Page (http://fruit.usask.ca/pfg_index.html)
•
Genetic Resources
Each crop includes a brief description of the collection and an excel list of the
cultivars which are available for exchange.
o Haskap
o Saskatoon
o Prunus
40
o Apples
o Other Crops
•
Genetic Exchange
This section describes the ways in which germplasm can be exchanged with the
PFG. It includes instructions for donating and requesting germplasm. It also
describes some of the aspects involved with international exchange.
•
Nutritional Studies
Provides a list of crops which can be harvested for studies, and instructions for
obtaining these crops.
•
Resources
Includes scanned and white-balanced documents pertaining to the cultivars in our
collection. Some of these documents are over 60 years old and very rare. They
have been posted online in the hopes that this information can be shared, and
propagated. This information might not be available to researchers otherwise.
A list of recommended books is also listed. These books were used as
taxonomical, horticultural, and botanical references
•
Links
Provides links to other genebanks and website which include information about
diverse variety of fruiting crops.
•
Contact
Enables interation between the PFG and other organizations
6.4
Extension events
Thus far, The Prairie Fruit genebank has been mentioned at several grower meetings. Dr.
Bors will be giving a tour and talk to the Prairie Plant Society in February, and we are
planning to have a summer tour of the genebank in 2009.
A workshop to show ‘topworking’ is also being planned. Apple Trees were already
drastically prunned in 2008 to allow accessions from Morden to be grafted onto them in
2009.
41
7
Fruit Exchange and Analysis
Fruit has been shared with numerous organizations and associations over the last three years.
This has involved harvesting, sorting and some initial processing steps, especially in the case of
cherries. Fruit is stored in a -40C walk in freezer at the College of Agriculture and Bioresources
on the University of Saskatchewan campus. The -40C freezer allows us to store fruit for several
years at this temperature.
7.1
Cherries
Over 500lbs of Cherries have been made available to various research groups over the last
several years. This fruit has been used for research regarding the chemical composition of
our advanced sour cherry cultivars and for studies involving value added processing as part
of ADF project #20090405. Extensive chemical and physical analysis has also been
performed on the U of S advanced selections and named cultivars, also as part of this
grant. This information can be found in the final report for grant #
7.2
Haskap
Over 200lb of Haskap has been provided to individuals and companies looking into value
added processing. These companies include Gerber foods, Souleio foods, and a number of
wine makers in Manitoba and Ontario. Extensive chemical and physical analysis of
Haskap has also been performed as part of ADF Grant # 20060140
7.3
Saskatoons
Large quantities of Saskatoons were mechanically harvested in 2009. This fruit is held
available for food and chemical analysis.
42
Appendix 1: Germplasm Received by the U of S Fruit Program
Accession
Tree Fruit
Genus
Species
SX08-01
Sandcherry
Prunus
besseyi
seed
SX08-02
SX08-03
Sandcherry
Sandcherry
Prunus
Prunus
besseyi
besseyi
SX08-04
Sea Buckthorn
Hippophae
rhamnoides
SX08-05
Nanking Cherry
Prunus
tomentosa
seed
seed
Grounds
Nursery, U
of S
seedling
SX08-06
Sour Cherry
Prunus
cerasus
scion
SX08-07
Sour Cherry
Prunus
cerasus
scion
SX08-08
Sour Cherry
Prunus
cerasus
scion
SX08-09
Sour Cherry
Prunus
cerasus
Walter's Choice
scion
SX08-10
Sour Cherry
Prunus
cerasus
Maha's Sweetheart
scion
SX08-11
Sour Cherry
Prunus
cerasus
Lloyd's Snack
scion
SX08-12
Sour Cherry
Prunus
cerasus
SX08-13
SX08-14
SX08-15
SX08-16
SX08-17
SX08-18
SX08-19
SX08-20
SX08-21
SX08-22
Apple
Apple
Apple
Apple
Pear
Apple
Apple
Black Currant
Black Currant
Black Currant
Malus
Malus
Malus
Malus
Pyrus
Malus
Malus
Ribes
Ribes
Ribes
domestica
domestica
domestica
domestica
SX08-23
Nanking Cherry
Prunus
tomentosa
SX09-01
Apricot
Prunus
armeniaca
SX09-02
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
SX09-03
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
SX09-04
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
SX09-05
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
SX09-06
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
SX09-07
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
domestica
domestica
nigra
nigra
nigra
Variety
male clone
Simone's Cherry
Pie
C#xxx
C#yyy
C#zzz
C#aaa
C#bbb
Hybernal
form
Budwood
CDC
Brooks,AB
CDC
Brooks,AB
CDC
Brooks,AB
CDC
Brooks,AB
CDC
Brooks,AB
CDC
Brooks,AB
CDC
Brooks,AB
Unity, SK
Unity, SK
Unity, SK
Unity, SK
Unity, SK
Unity, SK
Shaunavon,SK
Broderick,SK
Broderick,SK
Broderick,SK
CDC
Brooks,AB
Edmonton, AB
seed
Nova Scotia
seed
Nova Scotia
Seed
Nova Scotia
seed
Nova Scotia
seed
Nova Scotia
seed
Nova Scotia
scion
budwood
budwood
budwood
budwood
budwood
budwood
budwood
seedling
seedling
seedling
seed
Capilano #1
Glen Ample x Red
Mammoth
K06-1 x Red
Bounty
K06-1 x Red
Mammoth
K06-2 x Red
Bounty
K06-2 x Red
Mammoth
K06-3 x Red
Bounty
Origin
Swift Current,
SK
Winnipeg, MB
43
K06-3 x Red
Mammoth
K06-5 x Red
Bounty
K06-5 x Red
Mammoth
K06-6 x Cowichan
K06-6 x Red
Bounty
K06-6 x Red
Mammoth
K06-7 x Red
Bounty
K06-7 x Red
Mammoth
Glen Ample x Red
Bounty
SX09-08
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-09
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-10
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-11
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-12
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-13
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-14
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-15
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-16
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
seed
Nova Scotia
SX09-17
Chokecherry
Aronia
melanocarpa
op seed
seed
SX09-18
Chokecherry
Aronia
melanocarpa
op seed
seed
SX09-19
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
op Pervenec
seed
SX09-20
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
807-4 x Pervenec
seed
SX09-21
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
807-4 x 639-2
seed
SX09-22
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
639-11 x Gulik
seed
SX09-23
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
807-4 x Erakingra
seed
SX09-24
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
Kamchadalka x
Gulik-2
seed
SX09-25
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
Pervenec x Gulik-2
seed
SX09-26
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
639-2 x Firstborn
seed
SX09-27
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
807-4 x Gulik-2
seed
SX09-28
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
edulis
op
seed
SX09-29
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
op Subsp.
kamtchatika
seed
SX09-30
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
edulis
op
seed
SX09-31
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
seed
SX09-32
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
op Subsp.altaica
op Subsp.
emphyllocalyx
SX09-33
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
op Subsp. venulosa
seed
SX09-34
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
op Subsp. stenantha
seed
SX09-35
Honeysuckle
Lonicera
caerulea
Desertnaya
cutting
SX09-36
Actinidia
kolomikta
op
seed
SX09-37
Actinidia
polygama
op
seed
seed
Leningrad,
Russia
Leningrad,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
Amur region,
Russia
Kamchatka,
Russia
Primorye,
Russia
Altay, Russia
Kuril Islands,
Russia
Primorye,
Russia
Middle Asia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
St. Petersburg,
44
SX09-38
Actinidia
arguta
op
SX09-39
Apple
Malus
domestica
Kingston black
SX09-40
Apple
Malus
domestica
Muscadet de
Dieppe
SX09-41
Apple
Malus
domestica
Chisel Jersey
SX09-42
SX09-43
chokecherry
pincherry
Prunus
Prunus
virginiana
pensylvanica
op
Jumping Pound
SX10-01
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
Qualicum
SX10-02
Raspberry
Rubus
idaeus
K81-6
SX10-10
Pear
Pyrus
communis?
Krazoboyetchka
SX10-16
Mountain Ash
Sorbus
SX10-17
Sour cherry
Prunus
cerasus
SX10-18
Sour cherry
Prunus
cerasus
Edible Mountain
Ash
June Red
Montmorency
seed
Bareroot
tree
Bareroot
tree
Bareroot
tree
seed
scionwood
Rooted
plants
Rooted
plants
Scionwood
Russia
St. Petersburg,
Russia
Uxbridge, ON
Uxbridge, ON
Uxbridge, ON
Southern MB
Saskatoon, SK
Puyallup, WA,
USA
Centreville, NS
Sprucegrove,
AB
Edmonton, AB
Malus
domestica
Heaver
Potted
Plant
Softwood
cutting
Potted
plant
Budwood
Red Currant
Ribes
rubrum
Viking
Plant
Red Currant
Ribes
rubrum
Wilder
Plant
Red Currant
Ribes
rubrum
Stephen
Plant
Red Currant
Ribes
rubrum
Rolan
Plant
Red Currant
Ribes
rubrum
Holland Longbunch
Plant
Red Currant
Ribes
rubrum
Roodnews
Plant
SX10-27
SX10-28
Apple
Malus
domestica
Budwood
Apple
Malus
domestica
Budwood
Unity SK,
SX10-29
SX10-30
Apple
Malus
domestica
Budwood
Unity SK
Apple
Malus
domestica
Budwood
Unity, SK
SX10-31
Apple
Malus
domestica
Budwood
Unity, SK
SX10-32
Apple
Malus
domestica
Budwood
Unity, SK
SX10-33
Apple
Malus
domestica
Moose Jaw Apple
C#17 (Battleford x
PF#5)
C#20 (Unity x C#3)
C#119 (Norland x
(Redwell x erickson
large fruit
selection))
C#120 (Norland
x(Breakey x
Crimson Beauty
large fruited
selection))
C#145 (Patterson
x(Redwell x
Erickson large
fruited selection))
C#156 (Lethona x
Harrow, ON
Corvallis, OR,
USA
Corvallis, OR,
USA
Corvallis, OR,
USA
Corvallis, OR,
USA
Corvallis, OR,
USA
Corvallis, OR,
USA
Moose Jaw, SK
Budwood
Unity, SK
SX10-20
Blackraspberry
x oxidentalis
Apple
SX10-21
SX10-19
SX10-22
SX10-23
SX10-24
SX10-25
SX10-26
Bruno seedling
Rubus
Unity, SK
Bruno, SK
Saskatoon, SK
45
SX10-34
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-35
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-36
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-37
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-38
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-39
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-40
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-41
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-42
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-43
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-44
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-45
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-46
Apple
Malus
domestica
SX10-47
Apple
Malus
domestica
Norland)
C#165 (Coutts #67
x Coutts#22)
C#181 ((Heyer#12
x Red Melba) x
Norland)
C#188 (Coutts#24
x Coutts#12)
C#206 (C#10 x
(Vineland?65031))
C#218 (Patterson x
(Redwell x
Erickson large
fruited selection))
C#219 (Patterson x
(Redwell x
Erickson large
fruited selection))
C#283 (Coutts#22
x Summer Red)
C#310 ((Heyer #12
x Red Melba) x
Unity)
Stoke Red
Tremlett’s Bitter
MAL0152
Yarlington Mill
MAL0153
Brown’s Apple
MAL0939
Bulmer Norman
MAL0220
Michelin
Budwood
Unity, SK
Budwood
Unity, SK
Budwood
Unity, SK
Budwood
Unity, SK
Budwood
Unity, SK
Budwood
Unity, SK
Budwood
Unity, SK
Budwood
Unity, SK
Budwood
Harrow, ON
Budwood
Harrow, ON
Budwood
Harrow, ON
Budwood
Harrow, ON
Budwood
Harrow, ON
Budwood
Harrow, ON
46
Appendix 2: Fruit Articles Prepared by the U of S Fruit Program
Some of these articles have appeared in the 2010 Haskap interim report(ADF Grant # 20060140)
Haskap: The Shape of things to come
(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/articles/HaskapShapeToCome.pdf)
Mechanical Harvesting trials of 2009
(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/articles/mechanicalharvest2009.pdf )
Juliet Cherry Notes
(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/articles/Sour%20Cherries/Juliet%20notes.pdf)
Top Ten: Vitinord Grape Conference
(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/articles/vitinordtopten2009.pdf )
Grape Breeding for the Prairies
(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/articles/Grape2009.pdf )
Tree Fruit Production Presentation-LANTA 2010
(http://www.fruit.usask.ca/Documents/TreeFruitProductionLanta2010Handout.pdf )
47
Appendix 3: Extension Article “Cider as a Processing Option for Prairie
Apple Producers”
Cider as a Processing Option for Prairie
Apple Producers
Private and public breeders have been
making Apple selections on the prairies
since the 1800s. Recent releases from the U
of SK such as the “Prairie Sensation” have
put the prairies on the map in terms of
quality fresh eating dessert apples.
Breeders, like Rick Sawatzky, have coped
with Saskatchewan’s harsh -40C winters,
fireblight, and the discerning palate of
consumers to produce high quality dessert
apples for Saskatchewan. While vast strides
in dessert apple breeding have taken place
on the prairies, some believe that there is
untapped potential in the selection of apples
for hard cider. With cider consumption
growing every year, some growers and
breeders are beginning to realize that their
apples might end up in the pub instead of the
grocery store.
Hard Cider
Hard cider is the product resulting from the
fermentation of apple juice. The alcohol
content of cider varies depending on the
pressing methods and apple cultivar, and can
reach as high as 8% alcohol by volume
(ABV) without adding sugar to boost
alcohol content. In the US any fermented
apple beverage with an ABV above 7% is
considered an apple wine, but most cider
makers reserve the designation of apple
wine to a beverage which has had its alcohol
content boosted by some artificial means,
such as distilling, or adding sugar before
fermentation. As a finished product, hard
cider can be offered to the consumer in a
number of styles.
‘Still’ ciders are
uncarbonated and can be dry or sweet.
Sparkling ciders have been carbonated,
either
through
a
process
called
refermentation, or artificially with beverage
grade CO2, and are also offered in dry and
sweet forms. Historically cider would be
made by pressing apple juice into large
barrels which would simply be covered and
left to ferment. These early ciders were
fermented by the yeasts which live naturally
on the skins of the apples.
Without
knowledge of microbiology I’m sure these
early farmers thought the process was
magic!
Hard cider production looks much different
today. After the industrial revolution, cider
began to be produced on a much larger
scale. Today, most cider is derived from
bulk apple concentrate. Apple concentrate
is a common by-product in dessert apple
growing regions where apples are graded out
due to abnormalities in their size, shape,
physical condition and general appearance.
These apples are crushed to make juice
48
which is either packaged up in the form of
juice boxes and other tetra paks, or sold in
the form of bulk concentrates to food and
juice makers around the world.
An
increasingly cheap source of this apple
concentrate is China. Large commercial
cider fermenters who use this apple
concentrate are often forced to supplement
the flavour of their beverages with additives
like malic acid.
apples can have higher sugar content as
well, which gives the finished product a
higher alcohol content.
Artisanal cider
Some hard cider is still produced from the
apples of purpose grown cider trees. These
drinks are referred to as artisanal ciders, and
are considered to be of much better quality
than the commercially produced beverages.
Cider apples have unique flavour
characteristics that most would consider
unsuitable in a dessert apple. Cidermasters
classify cider apples into 3 general taste
categories: Bittersweet, Bitter-sharp (or just
Sharp), and Sweet. By blending juices of
these 3 types of apples, the desired cider
flavour is achieved. While Sharp and Sweet
apples are abundant in Saskatchewan, the
Bittersweet and Bitter-sharp apples required
for a well-balanced hard cider are not as
common. Bittersweet and Bitter-sharp cider
apples are rich in tannins, the same group of
molecules which give red wines their
balanced taste and mouthfeel. The tannin
content in cider apples can be as high as
0.3%(w/v) in the case of the cider apple
Vilberie, and as low as 0.05%(w/v) in
dessert apples such as McIntosh 1. Cider
1
Figure 16: Bottle label from Merridale Artisanal Cidery
in BC
In many ways artisanal cider making
practices are reminiscent of wine making.
As with wine making, these practices
express themselves regionally.
France,
Spain, Denmark and UK each have their
own unique cider styles and preferences. In
UK, top-fermenting Ale yeasts are used to
add more complex polyphenols to the
beverage. In France, there are laws which
ensure that the labelling of a cider indicates
at which stage in a pressing the juice was
drawn from.
In Spain, malolactic
fermentation is sometimes employed, a
process usually reserved for wines such as
Chardonnay.
Cider Apple Origins
In Europe, apple selection and cider
production paralleled each other for
centuries, cider being the easiest way to
Production. Washington State University.
http://maritimefruit.wsu.edu/Cider05.html
G.A. Moulton, J. King, and D. Zimmerman. (2005)
Evaluation of Apple Cultivars for Hard Cider
49
preserve the goodness of an apple. Every
fall, growers across Europe would crush
their apples and press the juice, which they
would store in barrels and drink through the
winter. In spring, apple growers wanting
more delicious cider for the long winter
months, would propagate the apples which
gave them the best tasting ciders the
previous winter. The apples which were
propagated most often were passed on to the
next generation who, once more, propagated
the best of these apples. Eventually, apple
growers in Europe ended up with aromatic,
sharp, sweet and bitter fruit perfect for
blending into a fermented product.
Cider apples on the Prairies
Saskatchewan’s geophysical situation is well
suited to cider apple production. In the past
Cider apple cultivation has been restricted to
warmer areas where land can be
prohibitively expensive. This limits growers
to intensive plantings on the scale of acres or
tens of acres.
Saskatchewan has the
advantage of access to larger areas of fertile
land, a typical unit of land measurement
being a quarter section, or 160 acres. On
this scale mechanically harvesting becomes
highly economical, and while dessert apples
must be carefully taken off by hand in order
to preserve their appearance, cider apples
can be mechanically harvested without
negatively impacting the finished product
Despite the advantages for cider apple
growers over dessert apple growers, the
prairie provinces boast very few viable cider
apple cultivars. This is probably because
North America, and prairie regions in
particular, are relative newcomers to apple
cultivation. Currently, artisanal cideries in
Canada are limited to a handful of regions
where winter conditions are mild enough for
imported European cider trees to survive.
The imported cider apple varieties would not
survive the harsh winters of the Canadian
Prairies. The hardiest of the cider varieties
will tolerate zone 4, and would not likely
survive zone 3.
Here lies a unique
opportunity in hardy fruit breeding.
Breeding and selecting cold hardy cider
cultivars suitable for blending with existing
dessert varieties could give Saskatchewan
apple producers new options in terms of
value added processing.
Breeding and selection at the University of
Saskatchewan
The University of Saskatchewan has been
involved in the breeding of apple cultivars in
some capacity for over 60 years. In 1960
C.F. Patterson released 20 apple cultivars
which are still in existence at the
University’s Gene bank. Last year, Rick
Sawatzky introduced 3 new dessert apples.
These apples were chosen for qualities
which made them marketable as well as
good apples for fresh eating.
Figure 17: U of S 2009 release 'Autumn Delight'
50
Both Patterson and Sawatzky’s introductions
were good steps for improving hardy dessert
apple genetics. However, cider apples and
dessert apples present us with a conflicting
set of selection criteria. Dessert apples are
selected based on flavour criteria like aroma,
acidity and sweetness, as well as appearance
criteria like colour, wash, russeting, and
shape. A cider apple, which is destroyed
during processing and pressing, is not
constricted by the same appearance criteria.
In fact, some cider apples can be quite ugly
(in dessert apple terms). An example of a
potential breeding parent for a successful
cider apple is the Kerr apple crab. The Kerr
is a very hardy tree producing a sweet and
aromatic crab. Its tannin content is higher
than most dessert apples, but still not enough
to compare with the European cider apples.
In addition to several Kerr trees, the
Univesity of Saskatchewan Fruit
Program has several apple seedling
evaluation plots coming in to bearing, as
well as dozens of historic prairie apple
cultivars. These apples have been evaluated
for dessert quality, but can be passed by if
appearance or flavours are considered
unappealing for fresh eating. We have
begun to perform fresh evaluations of our
existing germplasm collections and seedling
plots with cider specific selection criteria in
mind.
The U of S Fruit Program has also begun
collecting cider apple germplasm for crosses
with prairie hardy apples. Below is a list of
apples that have been used in breeding by
the fruit program this year:
•
•
•
•
•
•
Tremletts Bitter
Yarlington Mill
Brown’s apple
Stoke Red
Michelin
Muscadet de Dieppe
Figure 18: Kermerrian cider apple has a protruding calyx
end and a dullish color. Fine for cider, but would never
sell in the supermarket.
51
Appendix 4: Extension Article “Popular Fruit Varieties, 2010”
Popular Fruit Varieties, 2010
The following list was compiled by Bob Bors (U of S), Rick Sawatzky (U of S) and Clarence
Peters (SAFRR). These varieties are widely grown in Saskatchewan, mostly in backyards and
gardens. This list is not intended for commercial growers. Commercial growers should
investigate these and other varieties more thoroughly and make test plantings of several varieties
to determine suitability for your operation. Keep in mind that Saskatchewan spans 3 hardiness
zones and has multiple soil types. Some exceptional varieties have been underlined. For more
info visit: www.fruit.usask.ca
Ripening season estimates are based on Saskatoon conditions but can vary from year to year.
Haskap/Blue Honeysuckle:
June & July
Borealis or Tundra
• They need a pollinator but not each other. Berry Blue works and so do most cultivars
from Russia. U of SK will be releasing a pollinator in 2010. In a cool year these may be
good in August
Strawberry
Early July
June Bearers
• Early: Annapolis
• Mid: Cavendish, Kent
• Late: Bounty
Dayneutrals
• Tristar, Seascape (One season only?), Fern
Everbearers
• Ogallalla, Fort Laramie (Home gardeners only)
Saskatoon
Mid to late July
Early Mid Season
• Northline, Smoky
Mid Season
• Honeywood, Parkhill (Most disease resistant)
Mid Late Season
• Thiessen, Martin, Nelson
52
Raspberry
Summerbearers: late July - early Aug
Fallbearers: Sept - frost
Early
• Boyne(Industry standard in Canada)
Midseason
• Festival
• Steadfast (Doesn’t sucker much)
Late
• Red Mammoth (U of S), K81-6 (zone 3 only)
Purple
• Royalty (zone 3)
Black
• (None fully hardy)
Yellow
• Honeyqueen (For home gardens only)
Primocanes(Fall Bearers)
• Autumn Bliss (Too late in season, except Maple Creek)
Dwarf Sour Cherry
•
August, but Carmine Jewel may be late July
Carmine Jewel (U of S): Earliest to ripen, black fruit
Romance series (U of S): Most are dark fruit and very tasty
• Valentine formerly 7-19-27.6 (Red fruit)
• Crimson Passion formerly 7-21-16.3
• Juliet formerly 7-21-31.0
• Romeo formerly 7-7-5.8
• Cupid formerly 7-32-19.1 (Late season)
Currants & Gooseberry
Aug
European Black Currants
• ‘Ben’ series (good flavour & mildew resistant)
Buffalo Currant
• Black Giant, Black Albol
Red Currants
• Red Lake, Honey Red
Gooseberry
• Pixwell, Hinnonmaeki Red, Welcome, Jahn’s Prairie
Choke Cherry
•
mid to late Aug
Garrington
53
•
•
Pickup’s Pride (Large fruit, good flavour for a cc)
Shubert
Plums
mid Aug
P. nigra x salicina hybrids: Need wild plum pollinizers
• Patterson Pride (top flavour)
• Prairie
• Pembina
• Perfection/Superb
P. salicina types: Need another compatible P. salicina pollinizer
• Brookgold (Super productive, dependable)
• Green Elf
• Ivanovka
• Ptitsin #3
• Ptitsin #5
• Fofonoff (Homesteader)
• Brook Red
Cherry Plums
mid Aug
Red-Fleshed
• Dura, Manor, Sapa, New Oka, Kappa and Zeta
Green-Fleshed
• Opata, Beta
Apple
late Aug to Oct
Early
• Adanac, Norland (Very hardy)
Midseason
• Fall Red, September Ruby, Norkent (Durable), Goodland (Not as hardy but sweet),
Battleford, Carlos Queen, Westland
Late Season
• Minnesota #447, Haralson (Also called HaralRed),
Crabapples
• Early:
Rescue,
• Mid:
Dolgo,
• After frost:
Kerr (Intense flavour, add to cider)
U of S varieties
• Prairie Sun (Early, good for drying)
• Prairie Sensation (Firm flesh, very tasty)
54
•
•
Autumn Delight (Firm flesh, very tasty)
Misty Rose (Firm flesh, very tasty)
Grapes
•
Valiant, Beta
Pears
•
•
•
early Sept
Sept
John (Quite good and good size if heavily pruned and thinned)
Thomas (Best quality, low availability)
Ure (only zone 3)
Seabuckthorn
Sept
New from PFRA
• Harvest Moon (needs a male tree to set fruit)
Most of the above crops can be of good quality. Prairie plums have a sweet, very nice taste, but
are rather small and can have tough skins. And while prairie plums are good eaten fresh, hardy
grapes, pears and cherry plums are usually processed. We are breeding these crops at the U of S
but it may be several years before we have improved, high quality cultivars.
For more info visit: www.fruit.usask.ca
55
Appendix 5: Extension Document “University of Saskatchewan Apple
Introducations, 1997-2010”
University of Saskatchewan Apple Introductions
1997-2010
R.J. Sawatzky
YEAR
INTRODUCED
1997
NAME
PARENTAGE
SK Prairie Sun
Brookland X
Goodland
Test no. 70-20-01
Prairie Sensation
M359 X
Brookland
Test no. 18-10-32
2006
A COPF introduction, fruit is large (average
of 10 fruit is 7.63 cms, 3”) and roundish to
slightly oblate in shape. Colour is a 50%
cover of red in wash and stripes over two
shades of light green. Texture is fine, firm,
tender (breaking), crisp and juicy, ripe Sept
15. Flavour is a mild sub-acid with an
intense aromatic component. The tree is
slightly leggy with an open crown but sets up
a moderate number of short spurs.
Recommended to both gardeners and
commercial growers.
Misty Rose
Brookland X
mixed pollen of
Minn 1728 and
Pioneer #10
Test no. 4-11-48
2008
Ripe Aug 31, fruit is medium sized, round to
slightly barrel shaped, 70% red in stripes,
splash and wash over a light yellowish green
ground colour. The flavor is very good with
a strong pleasant aromatic component. The
BRIEF DESCRIPTION
A COPF introduction, a multi-purpose apple
cultivar, ripens September 1, slightly oblate
yellowish cream with a pink blush, flesh is
fine textured, crisp, juicy and moderately
sweet and resistant to oxidation browning,
good for fresh eating and makes excellent
processed products, will size-up to 3" with
professional care. Not recommended to
gardeners. The storage life is comparable to
Norland, short. The tree is semi-spur, semidwarf, very hardy and easily grown.
56
texture is very fine, crisp and juicy and
remains juicy even after the apple begins to
soften. Remarkably good keeping for an
early apple. Needs professional care to
produce quality fruit and recommended to
commercial growers only.
Autumn Delight
Haralson X
Parkland
Test no. 4-10-43
2008
Ripe Sept 20 remains in excellent condition
on the tree until Oct 1. A small apple unless
it is pruned and fruit thinned professionally.
Shape conic round. 90% wine red in wash
splash and stripe over light greenish yellow
ground. The flavor is rich and sweet with
very good acid balance. Texture is medium
firm and very crisp and juicy. Very good
shelf life and storability. Needs professional
care to produce quality fruit and
recommended to commercial growers only.
Festive Treat
Brookland X
MacIntosh
Test no. 18-7-10
2010
Ripe September 24 but starts falling too early
if not fruit thinned. Very fine crisp juicy
texture. Flavor is rich and sweet with a very
good acid balance. Shape is round and
asymmetrical. Colour 90% splashed and
striped red (little solid red) over light
greenish yellow ground. Storage is good and
remains very juicy after beginning to soften
due to the very fine texture. Needs
professional care to produce quality fruit and
recommended to commercial growers only.
57
Appendix 6: Extension Document “Apple Cultivars Named by PAPI”
APPLE CULTIVARS NAMED BY PAPI
2010
The following is a list of apple cultivars named by Prairie Apple Producers Incorporated (PAPI).
They were grown in large numbers as test trees for the Fruit Program and were named by PAPI
for the purpose of selling the fruit. At this time the University of Saskatchewan does not
recommend them for propagation.
Test
No.
4-6-48
Name
Patentage
Brief Description
Patience
Westland X
Haralson
Ripe 13 Sept. Very attractive 90 to 100% stripe and wash
red over light greenish yellow, very smooth round conic
shape, very rich sub acid flavor high in astringency,
texture med firm very crisp and juicy with very good
storage life.
4-10-36
Anna Gold
Brookland X
Honeygold
Ripe 17 Sept. A small yellow apple much like Golden
Delicious
5-2-52
Granny Annie
Westland X
Haralson
Ripe 30 Sept. Like Granny Smith but with 80% red over
colour.
5-4-14
Petrofka Mack
M359 X
Breakey
Ripe 8 Sept. Much like MacIntosh
5-6-33
Celeste
Westland X
Lobo
Ripe 30 Aug. A good quality large red apple.
Red Mike
Brookland X
MacIntosh
Ripe 9 Sept. Texture, colour and shape much like
MacIntosh only smaller. Subacid flavor with a very nice
aromatic component.
18-1711
Prairie Rose
Lobo X
Brookland
Ripe 16 Sept but will hang on the tree in good condition
until Sept 30, a good keeper. A very smooth attractive
solid red apple with firm flesh. Round slightly oblate.
Sour with tasty aromatics.
18-2223
Sweet Saffron
Pioneer #60 X
Westland
Ripe 8 Sept but hangs on the tree in good condition for at
least two weeks. Sour with good aromatic flavor, good
texture. Mostly light greenish yellow with 10% pink
blush and splash, prominent lenticels.
18-8-9
58
Appendix 7: Extension Article “Prairie Fruit Summary, 2010”
Prairie Fruit Summary, 2010
Some key considerations for the homeowner
by Bob Bors
The following list highlights some key positive (+), negative (-) and variable ( ± ) attributes for
growing fruit crops on the Canadian Prairies for home gardeners. Keep in mind that these are
generalities and that new varieties and growing methods might change some negative attributes.
Commercial growers would have other considerations such as suitability of mechanized
harvesting and cost of production which this list does not take into account. For more info visit:
www.fruit.usask.ca
Haskap/Blue Honeysuckle:
- All varieties are very cold hardy
+ Flowers are frost resistant to -7o C
+ Few pests
+ Has tolerance for wet conditions
± Can taste great
(raspberry/blueberry) or horrible
(tonic water) depending on the
variety
- May need bird netting
+ 1st fruit to ripen
+ Minimal pruning needed, no
suckers
+ Many uses for fruit
+ One of the highest antioxidant
berries..beats blueberries!
± Some varieties get mildew on
leaves
-
Needs 2 unrelated varieties for
cross pollination
Saskatoon
+ All varieties are very cold hardy
+ Plants need minimal training, and
periodic thinning.
± Some varieties compact and
spreading but others get too talk
and dense
-
Many insect pests and diseases
-
Somewhat aggressive suckering
+ One of the few fruits for mid
summer
+ Firm berry good for pies, pastry and
other uses.
+ High in antioxidants
-
Tends to bloom early and can get
frost damage every few years
May need bird netting
Raspberry
+ Late bloomer so avoids frost
damage
± Some varieties cold hardy
+ Good tasting varieties available
-
Annual pruning required which
59
-
Several diseases and pest
-
thorns make difficult
Aggressive suckering for most
varieties
Dwarf Sour Cherry
+ Varieties available with high
quality fruit, much higher sugar and
flavour than traditional sour
cherries
+ Few pests and diseases
+ Plants need minimal training, and
periodic thinning.
+ Fruits hold onto bushes and won’t
drop easily when ripe. Fruit can dry
on the trees and still taste good.
± Low or moderate suckering for
most varieties
+ Dwarf and on their own roots, this
is not the case for sour cherries
developed elsewhere in the world
+ High yielding
+ Relatively late bloomer, less chance
of frost damage
+ Usually has a 3 week long harvest
window when it can be picked and
taste great.
± Some varieties more hardy than
others
Black Currants
+ All varieties are very cold hardy
+ Plants need minimal training, and
periodic thinning.
± Some varieties are mildew resistant
± Strong unique flavour that some
like
+ High in antioxidants
+ Well behaved plants don’t sucker
much, moderate height
- Dried flower stays stuck to fruit and
stem stays on fruit when picked
- Can get caterpillars that will
defoliate plants
Choke Cherry
+ All varieties are very cold hardy
+ Fruit can be black, red, orange or
yellow
- Poor flavour, needs processing but
some like it
-
Leaves and pits can be toxic
+ Red leafed varieties are ornamental
- Black knot disease is damaging and
ugly
- Highly aggressive suckering, need
regular pruning and training
- Some tendency to bloom too early
and get frost damage on flowers
Plum
+ Many varieties tasty
+ Not many pests
± Can be on own roots or grafted onto
rootstocks
- Need two compatible varieties,
+ Slightly suckering unless
Sandcherry is the rootstock
± Variable hardiness depending on
variety and year
- Fruit smaller than what is seen in
grocery stores
- Tends to bloom early so can get
60
-
some types need a wild plum for
pollination
Fruits drop quickly when ripe
frost damage some years
Cherry Plum
+ Can be beautiful in flower and in
fruit if taken care of
- Fresh fruit usually astringent, needs
to be processed. At peak ripeness
may be ok flavour.
- Name misleading, tastes nothing
like a cherry
+ Low lying shrub, often with nice
fall colour and glossy leaves
± Varieties that are dark red inside
make nicer looking jam. Those that
are green inside make ugly jam.
- Often dies back to snowline or
ground in cold years, especially
older branches
Apple
+ Can have large fruit and easy
picking
± Varieties are highly variable for
hardiness and fruit quality
+ Light suckering at base of tree
-
-
Fruit needs to be thinned to
promote annual production and
good size fruit
Trunk susceptible to mice and
sunscald damage in winter
especially when young
+ Much fewer pests growing on
Prairie than other regions
± Fruit of some newer varieties can
be stored a few months, others only
a few weeks
+ Usually doesn’t get frost damage on
flowers
- All trees are grafted
-
Trees require regular training and
pruning
Grape
+ A few varieties (2?) and wild grapes
can survive here
-
-
Prairie varieties have small fruits
with many seeds and all are black
coloured
Often get dieback
-
Limited use in jam and juice
+ A vine that has many potential uses
in the landscape on trellises and to
cover up fences
+ Wild grapes and their hybrids have
high nutritional value (resveritrol)
-
-
Techniques exist to grow less hardy
varieties here but these methods
have not been tried much nor
proven
Vines are very aggressive requiring
extensive pruning each year
61
Strawberry
+ Good tasting varieties available
+ Only need 1 variety for fruit set
- Needs to be renovated frequently
± Some pest problems
- Needs straw covering for winter
- Weeds often a big problem
Pear
± The tallest of all fruit trees for the
prairie. Good if you want a big tree.
-
± Only prairie varieties are hardy
-
-
Fruit quality is very poor compared
to pears in grocery stores; often
highly astringent
Needs 2 varieties for cross
pollination
Most varieties have small fruit that
drop quickly when ripe, making a
mess
Seabuckthorn
+ All varieties are highly cold hardy
+ Drought tolerant
+ Nutritious fruit rich in oil soluble
vitamins
± Seeds that are like small grape
seeds make it undesirable for whole
fruit uses like pies or pastries.
Need to press the juice to use the
fruit. Oils in seeds have uses in
cosmetics.
- Perhaps the most aggressive
suckering fruit crop. Could keep in
bounds with annual pruning and
grass. Has become invasive in some
regions of the world.
+ The bush makes its own nitrogen,
and does alright on marginal land
+ Impressively decorative gray thin
leaves
± Good for juice, tea, and other
products but too sour for fresh
eating. Juice is like orange juice if
sweetened
± Horrible long thorns that can go
through gloves. Some new
varieties have less thorns. Fruit
does not come off easy so dodging
thorns becomes and issue at harvest
time.
- Plants are either female or male so
need both to get fruit set.
-
Doesn’t like wet conditions
A companion article “Popular Fruit Varieties” gives information of the better varieties for each
fruit crop. For more info visit: www.fruit.usask.ca
62