Featured Resources
NC 430 Blackberry Cultivar
NC 430 is the latest promising blackberry cultivar from the N.C. State University small fruit breeding program. The new berry produced fruit late in the season during production trials and was distinct for its sweet flavor, small seeds and low acidity.
Blackberry, Raspberry Portal Wins ASHS Award
The American Society for Horticultural Science (ASHS) bestowed its Extension Blue Ribbon Communication Award to the Blackberry & Raspberry Growers Information Portal. The award recognizes outstanding contributions to horticultural subjects reported in written, video, audio and electronic form.
Blackberry Budget Program 2011
N.C. State University has developed and compiled sample operating budgets to guide N.C. blackberry and raspberry growers in tracking and managing their business costs. Growers can plug their own numbers into these interactive budgets to get the estimated costs associated with production, harvest and marketing for commercial blackberry and raspberry operations.
USDA Research & Promotion Program for Blackberries
A proposal is being developed for a USDA Research and Promotion Program for blackberries. The working group has created a draft proposal and is asking growers and other stakeholders for review and input. Learn more about key features of the proposal, benefits of a research and promotion program and how to get involved.
Prime-Ark® 45 Blackberry Cultivar
Prime-Ark® 45 is the latest blackberry release from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture fruit breeding program. This is the third of the unique primocane-fruiting type varieties, and it has shown promise in tests in North Carolina. Learn more about plant characteristics, fruit yield, performance and availability.
N.C. Small Fruit & Specialty Crop IPM Blog
Dr. Hannah Burrack, Extension specialist with N.C. State University, maintains a site with the latest updates, tools and information on integrated pest management (IPM) of small fruits and specialty crops in North Carolina, including blackberries and raspberries.
Nurseries Licensed to Sell ‘Nantahala’ Red Raspberry
The “Nurseries for Brambles” section contains links to licensed propagators of a variety of blackberry and raspberry cultivars used throughout the region. In particular, growers can find nurseries for N.C. State University’s ‘Nantahala’ primocane fruiting red raspberry. The characteristics that distinguish ‘Nantahala’ from other red raspberry cultivars are its late harvest season and large berry size.
Postharvest Handling and Storage of Blackberries and Raspberies
What is the shelf life of blackberries and raspberries? How should I pick, store and ship the fruit? What food safety measures do I need to consider? Dr. Penelope Perkins-Veazie, N.C. State University Plants for Human Health Institute, answers these and other questions in this article from the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium newsletter.
