BRS Terena is a new blackberry cultivar that was developed for fresh consumption. The new variety offers sweet flavor, low acidity and good post-harvest conservation. The cultivar has shown an average yield of 1.2 kg per plant, with peaks of 1.8 kg in a few harvest seasons. Cultivating BRS Terena has the potential to generate profit of US$5,000 per hectare. The cultivar was developed for Brazil's South, Southeast and a few areas of the Northeast. Brazilian agricultural research has just launched a new blackberry cariety focusing on the fresh consumption market. BRS Terena, a cultivar that was developed by Embrapa, offers high yield, a sweeter flavor, low acidity, and long post-harvest conservation, characteristics that bring advantages to farmers and consumers. With an average yield of 1.2 kg per plant, including production peaks of up to 1.8 kg, BRS Terena not only offers growers a potential net profit of around R$30,000 (about US$ 5,000) per hectare, but also operational advantages like lower thorn density than the Tupy cultivar, which makes handling and harvesting easier. “BRS Terena is an excellent option for growers who want to invest in the fresh fruit market. Its sweeter flavor and longer shelf life make the berries of this cultivar more attractive to the market,” states Maria do Carmo Bassols Raseira, a researcher at Embrapa Temperate Agriculture who is the coordinator of the blackberry breeding project. Distinct flavor and post-harvest quality Flavor is one of the main features of BRS Terena. In comparison with other cultivars, such as BRS Tupy, Terena has a sweet-acid flavor, with a soluble solids content (Brix) of 10.3º, which is higher than Tupy's 8.9º and BRS Cainguá's 9.5º. “The most important thing is that the sugar to acidity ratio (which is responsible for the sweet taste on the palate) is almost twice the one obtained in the Tupy cultivar”, Maria explains. This translates into sweeter fruit, which is ideal for fresh consumption, and meets the Brazilian market's preference for fruits with lower acidity. Another distinguishing feature is its conservation capacity. In tests carried out at Embrapa temperate Agriculture's Post-harvest Physiology Laboratory, the new cultivar maintained its flavor, color and firmness for 10 days of refrigerated storage, while other cultivars showed higher degradation during the same period. The berries under observation were harvested at commercial ripeness. “Since the experiment lasted ten days, they may be able to be kept for longer,” Raseira says. Foto: Francisco Lima Adaptation and recommended regions for cultivation The new cultivar is recommended for the Brazilian South and Southeast, and some areas of the Northeast, where blackberries are already cultivated and can achieve high productivity. Andrea de Rossi, a researcher at Embrapa Grape and Wine who leads the experiments to validate the cultivar in Vacaria, RS, in the region named Campos de Cima da Serra, confirms that the cultivar has achieved yields of 1.8 kg/planta in the four harvests under assessment, surpassing Tupy in given conditions. Photo by: Silvio Alves Launch BRS Terena will be first introduced on November 27, during a Field Day at Embrapa Temperate Agriculture's Experimental Station in Vacaria, RS. After the launch, seedlings will be available for sale at licensed commercial nurseries, such as Frutplan Mudas, in Pelotas, RS, and Guatambu Viveiro de Mudas, in Ipuiúna, MG. As a tradition in the breeding program, the name of the cultivar pays homage to indigenous peoples of Brazil, in this case, the Terena people. It is the result of a partnership between two Embrapa research centers located in Rio Grande do Sul state: Embrapa Temperate Agriculture and Embrapa Grape and Wine. Discover Embrapa's blackberry cultivars Embrapa currently has five blackberry cultivars, which have been launched in the last ten years and are licensed so that nurseries can sell seedlings. Breeding and genetic improvement go on with the goal of combining several traits in a single cultivar. The idea is also to offer different cultivars that blossom either earlier or later than Tupy, in order to extend the harvest period. As for flavor, the goal is to develop materials with a higher sugar-acidity ratio, focusing on the market for fresh consumption. “The Brazilian market prefers a sweeter flavor,” Raseira states. Moreover, the breeding program aims to add another trait that is relevant to cropping: the absence of thorns, which would reduce difficulties in harvesting. However, according to the researcher, most thornless varieties have a predominantly bitter taste, and hence are more suitable for the processing industry, as is the case of the Ébano and BRS Xavante cultivars. “BRS Karajá has a less bitter taste, but we haven't got to what we wanted yet. With each generation, we advance a little further,” she explains. The work also aims to develop remontant or reflowering cultivars - which can bear fruit in the fall and summer even without special treatment, as is the case with Tupy. In addition, aspects such as berry size, resistance to diseases, yield that equals to or is higher than Tupy, small seed size, firmness and post-harvest conservation are also valued. BRS Xingu Blackberry (2015) As a cultivar that was developed for mild winter conditions, it ripens later than Tupy, which allows the harvest period to be extended for another two weeks, on average. In assessments over six harvests, it also produced an average yield of 800g more berries per plant than Tupy, the reference blackberry cultivar. Their firmness ensures good post-harvest conservation. In Brazil, BRS Xingu is recommended for the states of Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, in the Southeast; and Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, in the South. But it can also be cultivated in the conditions in Guatemala and Mexico. The cultivar can be used for the trade of fresh berries or to make sweets, especially jams, dried foods, juices, yogurts and ice cream. Photo: Paulo Lanzetta (BRS Xingu) BRS Cainguá Blackberry (2019) BRS Cainguá berries are well accepted for fresh consumption due to their excellent appearance and balance between acidity and sugar. The cultivar requires 200 to 300 hours of accumulated hibernal cold (temperatures that are equal to or lower than 7.2 °C) to offer good yields. It was developed by Embrapa in partnership with other institutions. Photo: Lirio Reichert (BRS Cainguá) BRS Ticuna Blackberry (2023) A highly productive cultivar for processing, BRS Ticuna is an option to produce jams and juices due to its high acidity. One hectare can yield up to 20 tons of fruit, and it is considered one of the most productive cultivars, surpassing the reference cultivar BRS Tupy. While it is resistant to diseases and recommended for cultivation in organic systems, it requires rust control and care against fruit flies (Anastrepha fraterculus) and the spotted-wing drosophila (Drosophila suzukii). It is adapted to the states of Brazilian South. Photo: Francisco Lima (BRS Ticuna) BRS Karajá Blackberry (2024) Thornless and thus easier-to-manage cultivar with moderate acidity. Berries are reddish-black in color, medium-sized - average weight of 4.5 g per fruit - and oval in shape, with a sweet-acidic and slightly bitter flavor. They are recommended for freezing, processing or fresh consumption. Average yield is 1.4 kg per plant. Photo: Rodrigo Franzon (BRS Karajá)