Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) JUHAS PBR

Blackberry (Rubus fruticosus) 'Juhas' PBR

A new, thornless, and primocane-fruiting (remontant) variety, ideal for fresh consumption, processing, and freezing.

The 'Juhas' variety is a modern blackberry bred primarily for commercial cultivation and industrial processing. However, it boasts features that any home gardener will appreciate—completely thornless canes, double fruiting, and exceptionally sweet berries. It is an absolute top-tier choice for the freezing industry and home preservation, as it retains its dark color and texture after thawing.

Main advantages of the variety:

• Double fruiting (remontant): Allows the harvest to be split into two waves (floricane in July, primocane in September).
• 100% thornless: Firm and smooth canes guarantee painless harvesting and easy handling.
• Ideal for freezing: The fruits suffer zero color reversion (they do not turn red after thawing, remaining beautifully dark).
• Excellent taste: Very sweet fruits with high sugar content and low acidity.
• Self-fertile, frost-hardy, and well-adapted to mechanical harvesting.

Origin and Registration

• Origin: Poland. Co-financed by the POIR project in cooperation with Global Plant Genetics.
• Registration: Originally tested as clone NR 1728801, applied for Plant Breeder's Rights (COBORU) under the name 'Juhas'.

Variety Characteristics

Shrub

• Vigor: Relatively low vigor, which significantly facilitates handling and harvesting. The variety exhibits high vitality.
• Canes: Firm, stiff, and completely thornless.
• Pollination: The variety is fully self-fertile, making it ideal for both large-scale plantations and home gardens.

Fruit

• Size and Weight: Medium to large. Field-grown berries weigh around 4 g, but under intensive greenhouse pot cultivation, they can reach up to 7.1 g.
• Firmness: Very high (4.5 out of 5), ensuring excellent handling and transport tolerance.
• Taste and Composition: Sweet and very tasty. They have a high sugar content (14.1 – 14.5% Brix), low acidity (1.0), and a high dry matter proportion (15.69%).
• Processing and Freezing: They provide an excellent juice yield. A major advantage is the very low percentage of color reversion after freezing.

Resistance and Requirements

• Frost: Shows good frost resistance, performing reliably in temperate climates.
• Location: Requires a sunny spot and well-draining, nutrient-rich soil with adequate moisture.

Cultivation Recommendations

• Fruiting Type: A remontant (primocane-fruiting) variety. This means it bears fruit on both second-year (floricane) and first-year (primocane) wood, extending the harvest season.

Harvest and Yield

• Harvest Time: The first wave on floricanes begins in mid-July. The second wave on primocanes arrives in September. The total harvest period lasts 6 to 7 weeks.
• Yield: Abundant. A single field-grown plant yields approximately 2 kg of fruit.
• Harvest Method: The berries are well exposed on the bush and detach very easily. Thanks to the shrub structure and stiff canes, the variety is ideal for mechanical (machine) harvesting.