Ouachita blackberry variety

Ouachita is the eleventh release in a series of erect-growing productive floricane-fruiting thornless blackberry varieties bred by the University of Arkansas. Ouachita has Navaho cultivar in pedigree. Plant was selected in 1993.
Blackberry variety Ouachita produces yield comparable to or higher than Apache or Navaho cultivars. Average berry weight is about 6 g. Average yield is about 3 kg from each healthy plant. Fruit of Ouachita are blocky and conical and very attractive with an exceptional glossy, black finish. Fruit firmness is slightly less than that of Navaho. Flavor is very good. Ouachita begin bloom the same date or nearly as Navaho and Apache blackberry - at the end of April of beginning of May. First harvest date is the middle of June. Harvest season continues up to the end of July. Canes of blackberry variety Ouachita are fully thornless and very erect. Vigor rating is higher than Navaho blackberry.
Health rating of Ouachita variety is excellent, this variety has good resistance to winter frost, pests and diseases. Fresh is main use but can be processed for jellies, jams, juice, wine.

Table 1. Yield and average berry weight at two locations in Arkansas (plots were established in 1999)

Cultivar	Yield, kg/ha		Fruit weight, g
	2001	2002	2001	2002
Clarksville
Ouachita	6811	6659	6.4	4.7
Apache	7908	12045	8.8	7.9
Arapaho	3527	3171	5.3	4.2
Hope
Ouachita	11184	10931	5.5	5.0
Apache	5336	6178	8.9	7.0
Arapaho	7365	9516	4.6	4.0

Table 2. Yield and average berry weight at three locations in Arkansas (plots were established in 1996)

Cultivar	Yield, kg/ha		Fruit weight, g
	2001	2002	2001	2002
Clarksville
Ouachita	10086	9568	6.7	5.8
Apache	7683	9560	9.5	7.7
Arapaho	4974	4981	5.2	5.0
Navaho	4764	10060	4.6	4.6
Hope
Ouachita	16994	9866	6.0	5.1
Apache	14533	5588	8.4	6.7
Arapaho	9703	5134	5.0	4.2
Navaho	11115	3071	4.9	3.6
Fayetteville
Ouachita	8588	-	4.5	-
Apache	8349	-	7.4	-
Arapaho	4996	-	3.5	-
Navaho	4785	-	3.1

Table 3. Сomparison table of Navaho, Arapaho, Apache and Ouachita blackberries at the University of Arkansas Fruit Substation, Clarksville

Main features	Variety
	Apache	Arapaho	Ouachita	Navaho
Flowering date (1997 - 1998 years)
10% bloom	April 29	April 28	April 29	May 1
50% bloom	May 5	May 4	May 7	May 7
Flowering date (2000 - 2002 years)
10% bloom	April 26	April 25	April 26	-
50% bloom	April 30	May 2	May 2	-
Harvest date (1997 - 1998 years)
First	June 21	June 6	June 12	June 19
Peak	June 30	June 11	June 19	July 1
Last	july 26	July 7	July 20	July 27
Harvest date (2000 - 2002 years)
First	June 19	June 5	June 13	-
Peak	June 29	June 16	June 24	-
Last	July 25	July 2	July 16	-
Fruit (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best)
Firmness	8.0	8.1	8.1	8.6
Flavor	8.3	7.8	8.4	8.5
Fresh seed, mg	12.5	8.4	11.4	10.6
Dry seed, mg	4.8	3.3	4.5	4.2
Soluble solids, %	11.1	8.2	9.9	11.9
Plant (rating scale of 1 to 10 where 10 is the best)
Vigor	9.1	7.3	8.4	7.4
Health	9.4	7.8	8.5	8.9