Photograph of Ben Klibreck blackcurrants

Work on Ribes is focused on the development of enhanced germplasm using contemporary genetics techniques including marker assisted breeding.

Ribes is a diverse genus of ca. 150 spp. of shrubs, distributed mainly in the northern temperate regions of Europe and North America. The genus includes the blackcurrant (Ribes nigrum L.), gooseberry (R. grossularia L.) and redcurrant (R. sativum and R. rubrum). Production of blackcurrant in the UK is largely for juice production, although there is a growing interest in the fresh crop due to the perceived health benefits of the fruit. The James Hutton Institute has active commercial breeding programmes for blackcurrant, through James Hutton Ltd, and has produced the highly successful ‘Ben’ series of cultivars.

Work on Ribes at the Institute is focused on the development of enhanced germplasm using contemporary genetics techniques including marker-assisted breeding. Traits of interest include fruit quality, pest resistance and environmental adaptability.