Biological Species and Environment Study on Overwintering Protection of Raspberries and Blackberries and their Growing and Development

The winter protection of biological species is important in many kinds of fruit production in North China. Environment techniques for overwintering cultivation of summer-bearing, fall-bearing red raspberry and blackberry were studied on open field and large plastic tunnels by analysis of growth and development of raspberry under three kinds of treatment method. The result showed that the shoots death rate was 100% on open field. But, the all shoots survived in other two treatments. The survival percent of seedling was over 90% in all treatments, the survival percent of blackberry was more than red raspberrys. There was not any germination of floricane on open field. The floricanes in plastic tunnels germinated 20-25 days earlier than mounding soil treatment. The germination of primocane on open field was 17-18 days later than in mounding soil and 34-40 days later than in plastic tunnel. The length of primocan on field including mounding soil and planting on open field was shorter than plants in tunnels at the same time. No. 47 black berry grew most rapidly in plastic tunnels among all treatments. The fruit yield per cane on open field was lowest among all cultivar, next was in mounding soil. There was no difference in fruit weight between different treatments of cold protection. The weight of No.47 black berry was around 2-3 times more than other cultivars in all treatments. The yield and fruit weight of raspberry were lower than other place including them in plastic tunnels. Therefore, the raspberry plants in plastic tunnels may live through winter better in dry and cold area without artificial heating. Mounding soil also is simple and good and economic method for its cold protection.