Jim Moore named to ASHS Hall of Fame
UA Blackberry named Outstanding Cultivar
July 31, 07Contact Information:
Fred Miller, Agricultural Communication Services, 479-575-5647, fmiller@uark.edu
John R. Clark, Horticulture, 479-575-2810, jrclark.edu
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. Distinguished Professor Emeritus James N. Moore was inducted into the American Society for Horticultural Science Hall of Fame at the ASHS annual meeting July 16-19 in Scottsdale, Ariz. Also at that meeting, John R. Clark was elected president-elect, and the "Navaho" thornless blackberry variety developed by Moore and Clark received the Outstanding Cultivar Award.
Since he established the University of Arkansas fruit breeding program in 1964, Moore released and co-released over 40 cultivars of peaches, table grapes, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. He is best known for pioneering work in the development of erect, sweet and thornless blackberries and co-development of the first primocane-fruiting blackberry cultivars.
The Division of Agriculture blackberry breeding program is the most productive in the world of horticultural science, Clark said. Navaho, released in 1989, was the first of five thornless, erect cultivars with a range of maturity dates from the program started by Moore and continued by Clark.
The latest cultivar is "Natchez," currently under review for release. Plant patents on these and other fruit varieties produce royalties that help support the division's fruit breeding program.
Fresh berries from thorny plants were seldom sold in stores because of thorn-pricks that diminished quality; thornless varieties made possible a thriving shipping market for this antioxidant-rich fruit. They are also a popular "U-pick" and home garden fruit. Arkansas thornless blackberries are grown on every continent but Antarctica. Navaho remains the most popular. Others are Apache, Arapaho, Ouachita and, coming soon, Natchez.
Clark also continued Moore's program to develop the Prime-ArkTM Primocane-Fruiting Varieties, including Prime-Jim# and Prime-Jan#, named for Jim Moore and Mrs. Moore. These unique varieties produce a fall crop of berries in addition to the normal spring crop. The fall berries grow on primocanes that are normally vegetative their first year and fruit the following spring. A fall berry harvest is very significant for U-pick farms and home gardeners, Clark said.
News releases and photos are available online at
http://arkansasagnews.uark.edu/392.htm