Growth and yield of black currant (Ribes nigrum) established from cuttings

Abstract

Hardwood cuttings of black currant (Ribes nigrum L.) were closely planted in rows during winter in two successive years. Vegetative shoots produced by cuttings during the first season and by fruiting plants during the second and third seasons were measured and counted. The final length of shoots was related to the time of shoot appearance, earlier shoots (with the exception of fruiting wood extension growth) being longer than those arising later in the season. Shoots originating from buds on cuttings carried 58–68% of the fruit yield at the first harvest, and were the main source of vegetative growth during the second and third seasons. Variable shoot growth from cuttings during the first season resulted in variability in the length of cane available for fruiting in the next season. Plants with most cane were highest yielding at the first harvest and tended to be higher yielding at subsequent harvests. The possibility of increased fruit production through management practices which favour uniformly large plants at the first harvest is discussed.