Date of Graduation
Spring 2026
Degree
Master of Science in Plant Science
Department
School of Agricultural Science & Conservation
Committee Chair
Jesse Carroll
Abstract
Blackberry production has become an important part of many small fruit orchard operations because they’re easy to grow, produce a large crop, and sell well at market. The current blackberry season in Missouri extends from mid-June to mid-August, depending on the cultivar chosen. This fruiting season is common for floricane-fruiting blackberry cultivars (cultivars that fruit on one-year old canes). Primocane-fruiting blackberry, or blackberries that fruit on current season growth, have the potential to further extend the harvest season of blackberry into September and October especially if grown in a high-tunnel. This study had two objectives. The first objective was to evaluate primocane fruiting blackberry, ‘Prime-Ark® Traveler’, for its potential season extension on Missouri State University’s Fruit Experiment Station. The second objective was to assess the potential of container-grown, primocane-fruiting blackberries in the Midwest. Forty plants were planted in grow-bags filled with potting media. This study assessed four different treatments to evaluate whether primocane-fruiting blackberries would provide an extension to the season both within the field, or within a high-tunnel. These treatments were; full high-tunnel production, full field production, rotation from high-tunnel to field, and rotation from field to high-tunnel. The last two treatments were added to determine if there was a possibility of freeing up space within the high-tunnel for other crops while conditions in the field were favorable for blackberry growth. Over the first year of this study cane count, cane length, cane diameter, yield, berry weight, cull weight, and berry quality were analyzed. The results concluded that primocane season duration was advanced and extended in the high-tunnel. Plants grown in the high-tunnel had a significantly greater yield than plants grown in the field. Plants grown in the high-tunnel had significantly longer canes than all other treatments.
Keywords
Rubus, primocane-fruiting blackberry, high tunnel production, container production, Prime-Ark® Traveler, season extension, yield, Midwest
Subject Categories
Botany | Horticulture
Copyright
© Edwin James Tucker III
Recommended Citation
Tucker, Edwin James III, "Extending the Fruiting Season With Container Grown Primocane-Fruiting Blackberries Grown in a High-Tunnel" (2026). Graduate Theses/Dissertations. 4159.
https://bearworks.missouristate.edu/theses/4159
