floricane

The fungus infects floricane and primocane foliage.

In its second year (as a "floricane"), a stem does not grow taller, but produces several side shoots, which bear smaller leaves with three or five leaflets.

Competition for the available assimilates between the 1st-year cane, the primocane, and the 2nd-year cane, the floricane, is minimized by the temporal and spatial separation of their activities.

In its second year, the cane becomes a floricane and the stem does not grow longer, but the lateral buds break to produce flowering laterals (which have smaller leaves with three or five leaflets).

Other desired characteristics sought are early floricane fruiting, late floricane fruiting, compact growth, early primocane fruiting, and desirable fruit traits, such as bright, non-darkening red colour and fruit that release easily from the receptacle.

Recently bred by the University of Arkansas, the variety bears on first-year canes, rather than second-year wood like traditional floricane forms, so it doesn't need overwintering to produce a crop; farmers can manipulate planting schedules to harvest virtually year-round, as long as the berries themselves don't get zapped by frost.