Apache blackberry variety

Apache is the ninth release in a series of erect-growing, high-quality, productive blackberry cultivars, developed by the University of Arkansas. It is the third thornless, erect cultivar released. Apache has a Navaho as one of the parents. Apache produces larger fruit and higher yields than the previously released Arkansas thornless, erect cultivars Navaho and Arapaho.
Canes of Apache are thornless, and are more erect than those of Arapaho and Navaho. If primocanes are tipped at 1,1 m to control primocane length and encourage lateral branching, Apache can be grown in a hedgerow without trellis support. Vigor and health ratings for Apache are higher than those for either Arapaho or Navaho, and winter injury ratings are comparable to those of Arapaho or Navaho. Outstanding characteristics of Apache include large fruit, high yields, good fruit quality.
Average berry weight is about 10 g, this is roughly twice more than Navaho. Seeds are significantly heavier than those of either Arapaho or Navaho. Apache bloomed 2 to 3 days later than Arapaho and 2 to 3 days before Navaho at the beginning of May. First harvest date for Apache averaged 15 days later than Arapaho and 5 d later than Navaho at the end of June. Harvest season period is about 35-40 days. Yield is much more than Arapaho, but lower, than Navaho. The fruiting period is two weeks shorter in Apache than in Navaho. Fruit of Apache are blocky and conical and very attractive with a glossy, black finish. Fruit firmness of Apache is less than that of Navaho but comparable to that of Arapaho.
Apache is moderately resistant to anthracnose and no disease problems have been experienced in evaluations where a single spray of lime sulfur was applied. No orange rust (Gymnoconia nitens) has been observed on Apache.
This cultivar also has two significant drawbacks - canes are very brittle, and white drupelets on ripen berries, even if the weather and soil conditions are enought for other blackberries.

Table 1. Yield and average berry weight at three locations in Arkansas

Cultivar	Yield, kg/ha		Berry weight, g
	1997	1998	1997	1998
Clarksville
Apache	10100	7683	10.0	9.5
Arapaho	4940	4974	5.4	5.2
Navaho	15066	4764	5.1	4.6
Hope
Apache	4512	14533	6.6	8.4
Arapaho	3635	9703	4.7	5.0
Navaho	3024	11115	3.9	4.9
Fayetteville
Apache	7481	8349	8.9	7.4
Arapaho	2047	4996	4.7	3.5
Navaho	2711	4785	3.2	3.1

Table 2. Сomparison table of Navaho, Arapaho and Apache blackberries at the University of Arkansas Fruit Substation, Clarksville

Main features	Variety
	Apache	Arapaho	Navaho
Flowering date
10% bloom	April 30	April 27	May 2
50% bloom	May 6	May 4	May 8
Harvest date
First	June 20	June 5	June 15
Peak	June 30	June 12	July 7
Last	July 27	July 24	August 2
Fruit (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best)
Firmness	8.2	8.3	8.7
Flavor	8.8	8.3	9.2
Soluble solids, %	10.7	9.6	11.4
Plant (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best)
Vigor	9.5	7.2	7.3
Health	9.7	8.3	8.8
Erectness	9.0	8.5	8.0
Winter injury	9.5	9.3	9.5