Embrapa Brazil has developed a new variety of blackberries without thorns in the primary and secondary stems, which stands out for its upright growth, and being less acidic and bitter than previously launched thornless blackberries, making it more attractive to the market.

This is the third thornless blackberry developed by the company. The material was obtained from the Black 132 selection, which, in turn, is the result of hybridization between the North American cultivars 'Brazos' and 'Arapaho'.

The fruit is black-red, medium-sized, oval in shape, and its sugar content is between 8 and 10° Brix.

Abrafrutas reported that one of the advantages of the new cultivar is that it makes harvesting and pruning more efficient by at least 30% compared to other varieties with thorns.

The new blackberry is suitable for freezing, processing, or fresh consumption. The average production is 1.4 kg per plant.

The name BRS Karajá follows the tradition of identifying blackberry cultivars with the names of indigenous peoples in honor of the first Brazilians.

In the last 10 years, blackberry production in Brazil has doubled in regions such as Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Paraná, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, and Espírito Santo.

Fruit production is around 15 to 20 tons per hectare per year (t/ha/year). The planted area also grew, reaching nearly 1,100 hectares.

*Photograph Rodrigo Franzon /Embrapa