Precision cane meristem management can influence productivity and fruit quality of floricane red raspberry cultivars

Abstract

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, the hedgerow system is the main raspberry growing system, which has no clearly-definedstandards regarding plant density and fruit-bearing potential per meter of hedgerow. This study evaluates the effect of precision canemeristem management in growing major floricane red raspberry cultivars in Bosnia and Herzegovina. During 2015 and 2016, inWillamette, Meeker, and Tulameen, grown under the hedgerow system, mixed buds were selected on fruiting laterals with the fruitbearing potential of 80, 100, and 120 well-developed and well-positioned mixed buds per meter of hedgerow. High stable yields wererecorded under the medium load of 100 buds per meter of hedgerow. Yield ranged from 22.6 t/ha to 24.9 t/ha in Meeker and from 17.7t/ha to 24.5 t/ha in Tulameen. The yield variation over the experimental years was somewhat higher in Willamette (10.4–21.8 t/ha). Fruitsize was largest under the 100-bud load per meter of hedgerow. The biochemical characteristics of the fruit, expressed through vitaminC, phenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents, and the antioxidant capacity, indicated differences among cultivars and the effect of theexperimental year. The load of 100 mixed buds well-positioned on canes per meter of hedgerow was the optimum load of fruit-bearingpotential. The reduction in bud numbers per meter of hedgerow led to a significant decrease in fruit yield, with no changes in fruitquality. Conversely, the increase in the number of buds per meter of hedgerow resulted in a decline in fruit quality, while not adverselyaffecting fruit yield.