These mites stop blackberries from ripening, but one variety resists
Díaz-Martínez S, Otero-Colina G, Rodríguez-Bautista G, Ochoa-Martínez DL, Martínez-Núñez M
Crop Improvement
If you grow blackberries and have noticed hard, sour, red drupelets that never sweeten up at harvest time, this research pinpoints the microscopic mites responsible and shows that variety choice, like SP-Erandy, could sidestep the problem entirely.
Some blackberries develop patches of berry that stay hard and red instead of turning sweet and black, a problem growers call redberry. Scientists tracked down two nearly invisible mite species living in the plants' buds and berries throughout the growing season and confirmed they're behind the disorder. Interestingly, one of the three blackberry varieties tested never showed the problem at all, hinting that breeding or choosing resistant varieties could help.
Key Findings
Acalitus essigi and Acalitus orthomerus mites were found coexisting across nine plant structures, with strongest preference for vegetative buds, reproductive buds, and polydrupes (berry clusters).
Redberry symptoms appeared during late-stage harvest in the Tupy and X001 blackberry varieties, while SP-Erandy showed no symptoms of the disease.
Two additional mite species, Diptacus rubuscolum and Aculus schlechtendali, were identified as leaf-surface vagrants not directly tied to the ripening disorder.
chevron_right Technical Summary
Tiny mites called Acalitus essigi and Acalitus orthomerus are the culprits behind 'redberry,' a disease that stops blackberries from ripening properly, but one commercial variety tested seems naturally resistant.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
Population fluctuation of Acalitus essigi and Acalitus orthomerus (Acari: Eriophyidae) associated with inhibited ripening of blackberry (Rubus spp.).
The objective of this research was to confirm the identity of the mites associated with the disease known as inhibited ripening of blackberries, also known as redberry, in all phenological stages o...
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
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