New blackberry varieties

There is one of interesting news come up from ARS, Agricultural Research Service USA.

By the ARS news, the best of eastern and western blackberry genetics have been introduced

to create three new blackberry varieties released by ARS.

Those are Eclipse, Galaxy and Twilight. (Source: www.ars.usda.gov)

ARS' Horticultural Crops Research Laboratory in Corvallis, Oregon,

working in cooperation with the Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station,

has blended the desirable traits of eastern erect-cane blackberries and

western trailing blackberries into new varieties with thornless semi-erect canes

to fill new niches in the fresh berry market.

Image Source: www.ars.usda.gov/news-events

Eclipse was the first of the three varieties from these crosses

to move from the test fields to final selection.

Its name was changed from ORUS 2816-4 to Eclipse to commemorate

the total solar eclipse visible in Corvallis in 2017.

One of Eclipse's parents, Triple Crown, known for highest marks in productivity,

vigor and flavor, ripens in late summer.

Eclipse inherited the same triple high scores,

but it ripens earlier, filling a hole in the fresh market harvest season

between when trailing varieties ripen and when Triple Crown ripens.