New Red Raspberry Means More Fresh Berries

Fresh red raspberries will be available through July thanks to Coho, a new variety released by the Agricultural Research Service and the agricultural experiment stations of Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

Coho will extend the availability of fresh berries by 7 to 10 days compared to Tulameen, the current late-season standard throughout much of the world. The Pacific Northwest--including Oregon where Coho was most extensively tested--and California produce 95 percent of the nation's fresh red raspberries.

Coho gives high yields of bright-red, very firm berries. It is named after a red-skinned salmon commonly found in the Pacific Northwest. It is the second red raspberry released by ARS berry breeders for the summer fresh-fruit market. The first, Lewis, was released in 1999. Coho was developed by crossing Lewis with other breeding lines.

The new raspberry should grow well in the Pacific Northwest and California, or in other raspberry-growing areas where winter temperatures don't fall below zero degrees Fahrenheit.

Raspberries are low in fat and a good source of dietary fiber. Researchers can obtain small amounts of Coho for breeding through ARS. Growers can obtain plants through several nurseries in the Northwest, and consumers may be able to find Coho berries this summer.

ARS is the chief scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Scientific contact: Chad E. Finn, ARS Northwest Center for Small Fruit Research, Corvallis, Ore., phone (541) 750-8759, fax (541) 750-8764, finnc@bcc.orst.edu.