Red Raspberry Yield Components and Their Relation to Mechanical Harvesting1

Abstract

Using a “shake and catch” method of mechanical harvesting with canes attached to a trellis, up to 70% of handpicked yield was collected from a clonal raspberry plantation in 1967 at Ottawa. Characters related to berry quality and to mechanical harvesting such as shape of receptacle, ease of picking, and fruit removal force were related to characters indicating susceptibility to winter damage. Thus, selection for winterhardiness is an important first step in further improving this material. Leaf retention in the fall was not a reliable indicator of winterhardiness. Efficiency was slightly reduced in 1970 with a method using untrellised plants and less dependence on winterhardiness. ‘Trent’ was the most suitable cultivar under both methods.