Nightfall blackberry variety

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Commercial trailing blackberry cultivar which, adapted to machine harvesting, has yield and processed fruit quality very similar to world-known blackberry cultivar Marion

Rubus subgenus Rubus Watson 'Nightfall'

Originated from a cross of Marion x Waldo

Variety denomination - 'Nightfall', tested as ORUS 1486-2

Plants are thornless

Bushes have trailing canes

Fruit weight is 6 g

Berries have a conical shape

Fruiting habit - floricane fruiting (summer-bearing)

Flowering on floricanes starts in the first week of June

Ripening date (regular) - third week of July

Productivity is 24000 kg from ha

Soluble solids - 12.75%

Acidity - 3.0%

Cold hardiness is moderate

Heat tolerance is low

Current status - obsolete or rarely used

Recommended replacement - Columbia Sunrise

Country of origin - United States

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Nightfall is a thornless trailing blackberry cultivar from the Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Research Service breeding program in Corvallis, released in cooperation with the Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station and the Washington State University Agricultural Research Center, United States.
Nightfall is adapted to machine harvesting and has yield and processed fruit quality very similar to world-known blackberry cultivar Marion. It is one of three thornless varieties which are being released simultaneously - Black Diamond, Nightfall and Black Pearl. These cultivars was intended to replace Marion variety, which hasn't good post-harvest characteristics.
Nightfall is thornless blackberry variety, but primocanes have some thorns on the basal. These thorns are soft and smooth. Also child canes from root are thorny. Nightfall harvest begins at the few days of July, peaks in early July and is largerly done by the third week of July in south regions. Fruits of Nightfall are similar in shape to Marion berries, they are a medium long conic and can have a blunt tip. Flavor is excellent. Fruit firmness is sufficient for machine harvesting and transportation. Yield is little more than Marion, average berry weight is 6 g.
Winter hardiness is about minus 13 C. Nightfall blackberry has sufficient resistance to different diseases.

Table 1. Comparison table of Nightfall, Silvan, Black Diamond, Marion, Black Pearl, Waldo and Siskiyou blackberry cultivars at the North Willamette Research and Extension Centre, Oregon State University (planted in 1999)
Cultivar	Fruit weight, g	Yield, kg/ha
Cultivar	2001-2003	2001	2002	2003
Nightfall	6.2	42447	13405	20962
Black Pearl	6.2	26969	14373	15505
Silvan	6.2	31757	16811	21845
Black Diamond	5.8	29281	15568	19001
Marion	5.1	26380	13021	18397
Waldo	5.5	25849	11000	17286
Siskiyou	6.9	20969	9854	9359

Table 2. Averaged harvest season duration of Nightfall and other varieties for several years (2001-2003 harvested, 1999 planted)
Cultivar	Harvest season
Cultivar	5%	Peak	95%
Nightfall	July 3	July 11	July 23
Black Diamond	June 28	July 8	July 21
Silvan	June 26	July 8	July 21
Marion	July 3	July 10	July 22
Siskiyou	June 25	July 8	July 25
Obsidian	June 25	July 4	July 15
Black Pearl	July 3	July 10	July 24
Metolius	June 25	July 3	July 14
Waldo	July 8	July 22	August 7