RUBUS spp.

Rubus spp, Rosaceae, the blackberry fruit was introduced by Embrapa in the early 70s.'s The Blackberry has had increased its production in the country, but it is still not consumed. The genus Rubus has a large number of species and there are many cultivated varieties. The blackberry fruit is called drupelet, i.e. is composed, rounded or elongated; its color is black when ripe and red when still green. There are thornless varieties in the branches, which facilitates harvesting. This is done in the period spring-summer. The most common varieties in the market are Brazos, Comanche, Cherokee, Ebano (thornless), Tupi, Guarani and Caingangue originating from Asia, Europe and the Americas. The content of phytochemicals, carotenoids and anthocyanins in the Blackberry makes a fruit of medicinal value, with high antioxidant activity.

Vitamin A, with 200 IU; B1, with 30 mcg; B2, with 58 mcg; B3, with 0.43 mg and only 22 mg of vitamin C.

Minerals - Calcium - 28 mg; Iron - 0.6 mg; Magnesium - 19 mg; Phosphorus - 21 mg; Potassium -161 mg.

The Embrapa Temperate Climate launched several hybrid of blackberry, and the Tupy cultivar (hybrid of Comanche vs. Uruguay) was the most accepted, being planted in Mexico and other countries, and won na award at the American Horticultural Society in California. The aforementioned cultivar was obtained by the study of the researcher Alverides Machado dos Santos, from Embrapa. The Tupy has high productivity, good adaptability, good quality, with good levels of sugars and balanced acidity, and suited color, postharvest and size.

Luiz Carlos Donadio

E-mail: [e-mail]

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  14 Aug 2014
• Date of issue
  Mar 2014