Haskap Research Bears Fruit with Organic Potential

By Brenda Frick, Ph.D.

Haskap is poised to hit centre stage as the next exciting offering from the University of Saskatchewan Fruit Breeding Program. This unique fruit shows promise from the growing, harvesting, processing and marketing sides, and it has the potential to be grown organically.

“Haskap” is the name given to this small fruit by prehistoric peoples in Japan. Other names include edible honeysuckle, blue honeysuckle and honeyberry. The species is native to Russia, northern Japan and Canada.

The Canadian prairies seem to be an ideal place to grow haskap. The hardier varieties are cold hardy to -45C, and even the open flowers can survive -7C temperatures. In areas much warmer than Saskatchewan, the flowers may open unseasonably early, before the pollinators are out.

The flavour of haskap has been likened to blueberries, perhaps in part because the fruit looks something like an elongate blueberry. Unlike the blueberry, haskap skins melt in the mouth. Seeds are very small, so they too go unnoticed. Both these qualities make a superior processed product as well as enhanced fresh eating.

University of Saskatchewan fruit breeder Bob Bors has crossed the tastier Japanese varieties with the more winter hardy Russian varieties to develop a whole range of possibilities. Different selections vary in sweetness, tartness, and juiciness. Ultimately, different cultivars may be preferred for fresh eating, drying, jam making, wine making and so on.

The haskap program at the University of Saskatchewan is the only one in Canada, one of only two in North America, and it is still in the early stages. Over the last 5 years, six Russian varieties and seedlings have been released to give producers something with which to experiment. The fruit from these varieties is being used to develop new products such as ice cream, gelato, pie filling, sundae topping, salad dressing, vinegar, and wine. Fruit development is progressing hand in hand with product development.

New varieties have recently been developed. ’Borealis’ has the best flavour, and largest fruit size, but fruits are somewhat delicate. This may be a good choice for the pick your own market and for home gardens. ‘Tundra’ also has good flavour, but has a more attractive shape and is a bit sturdier. It may be better suited for the individual quick frozen market. Newer and better varieties are in the pipeline, to be released in the near future.

Haskap bushes are best planted in the fall, and may yield fruit in the first year after planting. They mature quickly, and by the 3rd or 4th year, they may be producing 4-6 kg of fruit. Bushes grow to roughly 1.5 m, and do not sucker. Plants have few insect or disease problems, so can easily be grown organically. Fruits shake off the bushes, allowing for mechanical harvest.

Several issues remain. Rick Sawatzky of the University of Saskatchewan fruit team warns that “there’s a lot we just don’t know yet’. The most established bushes in the program are less than a decade old. Some selections are only now coming into their second year of production. Researchers are working with producers both to further the reach of this meagerly funded program, and to bring varieties to producers in the speediest possible fashion. Producers considering haskap are cautioned to move slowly, and join together to share the risks of a new industry.

Research has uncovered a number of risk factors. With haskap, two or more unrelated varieties must be planted together to ensure pollination. It is advised that plantings be surrounded by shelterbelts; haskap branches tend to be brittle and can be damaged by wind. Birds such as waxwings love haskap. Producers with small holdings are advised to use bird netting over bushes as they come into fruit. In larger plantings, an earlier flowering variety planted as a trap crop, may attract birds away from the main crop. Mildew has been seen on plants in late summer. Fruit production is over by this time, and plants are generally dormant when the disease presents. Only some of the plants in the breeding program have shown mildew, and the new varieties have been found to be resistant in the field. The U of S fruit program will be incorporating disease screening into their selection process for future varieties.

People in Japan have long valued the medicinal effects of haskap, with one juice product marketed as the “golden remedy for the eternal youth and longevity”; modern reports suggest haskap has beneficial effects on blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease and even malaria. The fruits are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. Linda Matthews, part of the fruit team at the University of Saskatchewan, oversaw an antioxidant study of haskap. Haskap were high in anthocyanins, “as good as blueberries, and blueberries are the market king”.

A sizeable market exists for haskap. Although the fruit is highly valued in Japan, its traditional growing areas are being reduced by population growth. The fruit team at the University of Saskatchewan is working with the University of Hokkaido and with buyers in Japan. The flavour and health benefits of this unique fruit suggest that a significant new market may also be found closer to home. Hopefully this excellent new product will arrive at our local markets in the near future.

For more information see http://www.haskap.ca/index.htm.

Brenda Frick, Ph.D., P.Ag., is the Research and Extension Associate for OACC at the College of Agriculture, University of Saskatchewan. She welcomes your comments at 306-966-4975 or via email at organic@usask.ca.

 

This article first appeared in The Western Producer, and is published here on the OACC website with permission.

 

 

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Posted July 2007