Natchez blackberry variety

Natchez is the twelfth release in a series of erect-growing, high-quality, productive, early-ripening, floricane-fruiting blackberry. The original plant was selected in 2001 from a seedling field at the University of Arkansas Fruit Research Station. Natchez is great to perform in commercial shipping use.
Canes of Natchez are thornless and are semi-erect (mostly) to erect. Average primocanes height is 120-180 cm, floricanes length - up to 4-6 m. If primocanes are tipped at one meter to control length and encourage lateral branching, Natchez blackberry can be grown in a hedgerow without trellis support. A common trellis used on erect cultivars by growers consists of two wires placed 1.0 to 1.2 m above the soil surface and separated horizontally 1.0 m. However, support of floricanes during fruiting is recommended and with a support trellis, the slightly less erect canes of Natchez should be easily managed by growers.
Average berry weight of Natchez cultivar is about 8 g. Berries of Natchez variety are elongated and somewhat blocky and very attractive with an exceptional glossy, black finish. Flower's color is white. Bloom starts at the beginning of May. First harvest - middle of June. Average health rating of Natchez is good, but variety is moderately resistant to anthracnose. Plant hardiness was observed to be good on Natchez in that it showed no to little injury to canes and buds.
Minimum winter low temperatures is about minus 15 C. Natchez needs to be planted in full-sun places (with protection from overheating in very hot regions) and sheltered for cold season.

Table 1. Yield and average berry yield of Natchez, Apache and Ouachita cultivars at two locations in Arkansas

Cultivar	Yield, kg/ha		Berry weight, g
	2005	2006	2005	2006
Clarksville
Natchez	12773	8697	8.7	8.0
Apache	13058	10699	8.6	8.2
Ouachita	8913	7997	6.3	6.2
Hope
Natchez	7169	8417	6.7	4.4
Apache	4278	9957	7.9	6.7
Ouachita	3159	21676	5.8	4.7

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

Main features	Variety
	Apache	Ouachita	Natchez
Flowering date
10% bloom	April 24	April 23	April 21
50% bloom		April 28	April 24
Harvest date
First	June 19	June 10	June 3
Peak	July 7	June 26	June 8
Last	July 28	July 20	July 11
First-ripe rating (scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best)	2.3	5.3	7.5
Berry weight, g
First	8.3	7.5	8.8
Peak	10.1	7.0	10.2
Last	8.8	5.7	8.0
Fruit (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best)
Firmness	8.0	8.3	7.8
Flavor	8.0	8.0	7.5
Soluble solids, %	10.6	9.8	8.7
Seed fresh weight, mg	-	6.2	6.8
Seed dry weight, mg	-	4.2	4.2
Plant (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best)
Vigor	7.5	7.0	7.0
Health	8.5	8.3	7.8