Wakefield

Raspberry

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Meeker', 'Willamette' and 'Chemainus'

Summary: The plants of 'Wakefield' have few canes whereas 'Meeker' and 'Chemainus' have many and 'Willamette' has very many. 'Wakefield' has strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration on the current season's cane whereas it is weak on 'Meeker' and 'Willamette' and absent or very weak on 'Chemainus'. The size of the base of the spines of 'Wakefield' is medium to large whereas it is very small to small on' Meeker' and 'Willamette' and very small on 'Chemainus'. The leaves of 'Wakefield' have medium to strong rugosity whereas it is weak to medium on the reference varieties. The fruit of 'Wakefield' is firm to very firm whereas the fruit of 'Meeker' is soft, 'Willamette' is very soft to soft and 'Chemainus' is soft to medium. The time of beginning of fruit ripening of 'Wakefield' is late whereas it is early on 'Willamette' and mid-season on 'Chemainus'.

Description:

PLANT: semi-upright growth habit, few number of current season's canes, late season vegetative bud burst, fruit bearing only on previous year's cane in summer
VERY YOUNG SHOOT: no anthocyanin colouration at apex during rapid growth

CURRENT SEASON'S CANE: weak bloom, strong anthocyanin colouration, long internodes, short to medium length vegetative bud
DORMANT CANE: greyish brown
SPINES: present, medium density, medium to large size of base, short in length, purple in colour

LEAF: medium to dark green, predominantly five leaflets per leaf, straight profile of leaflets in cross section, medium to strong rugosity between the veins, relative position of lateral leaflets free
PEDICEL: few spines

BEGINNING OF FLOWERING: late season
PEDUNCLE: strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration
FLOWER: medium size

FRUIT RIPENING: beginning late in the season, long duration
FRUITING LATERAL: horizontal to drooping attitude
FRUIT: short to medium length, narrow to medium width, small length/width ratio, broad conical shape in lateral view, large size of single drupe, dark red, weak to medium glossiness, firm to very firm, very weak to weak adherence to plug

Origin & Breeding History: 'Wakefield' arose as the result of crossing 'Lewis' (seed parent) with the unnamed selection, '86105M57' (pollen parent) as part of a planned breeding program of the New Zealand Institute of Plant and Food Research Limited in Motueka, New Zealand. The initial cross was conducted in a greenhouse in 1990 and the resulting seed was germinated and grown at Plant and Food Research in Motueka. A total of 115 seedlings were planted in the field in 1991. The original plant of the new variety was selected during the summer of 1993-94 (Southern Hemisphere) and coded 90352EK-6.

Tests & Trials: 'Wakefield' was tested in Richmond, British Columbia during the 2012 growing season. The trials consisted of 4 replicates of the candidate and reference varieties. Plants were spaced 0.6 metres between plants in the row and 2 metres between rows. There was a minimum of 12 plants per variety. Measured characteristics were based on a minimum of 15 measurements.

Comparison table for 'Wakefield' with reference varieties 'Meeker', 'Willamette' and 'Chemainus'

Dormant cane length (cm)

Click on image for larger view

Raspberry: 'Wakefield' (top) with reference varieties, 'Chemainus' (centre top), 'Meeker' (centre) and 'Willamette' ( centre bottom)