Posts by recomer20

1391275155

	Subject: Fig research	Replies: 34
	Posted By: recomer20	Views: 1,803

For you fellow fig-nerds :)

There are a number of "research" facility around the world (for instance NAGREF in Kalamata, Greece.) I understand most of these are more interested in trial-ing existent global cultivars in certain areas to see if they are worth growing commercially. Others (I believe in Central Asia) are similar and are backed by USAID in specific projects to find crops that specific groups (e.g., women) can grow as part of a bootstrap project.

Here's an excerpt from Mr. Hunt's work in Georgia (early 19th century): http://books.google.com/books?id=71JMAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA89&lpg=RA1-PA89&dq=bw+hunt+fig&source=bl&ots=C-KHZJHZFL&sig=hwgsbtmyfD4FYQbbiEVqlGZgsdg&hl=en&sa=X&ei=hCTtUoK5BPP7yAHDy4GgCg&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=bw%20hunt%20fig&f=false
He discusses his thoughts about smyrna (mule-type?) and celeste caprification briefly. In the end, Hunt brought in caprifigs from California and hand caprified cultivars like green ischia and celeste. The Hunt fig is a result of his work. I think in the end the time it takes to raise seedlings and experiment just takes so long that it's hard to justify funding.

There are other cases, like in Israel, where Brazilian brown turkey variants "Roxo de Valinhos???'" have been imported and are doing very well as a major crop.

This doesn't answer your question, I know, but hope it helps. I think to a degree, there is an issue of genetic isolation. Such that normal hand-caprifiication methods might yield very random and unexpected results...as opposed to yielding specific traits in offspring.

As for as LSU, O'Rourke's fields were repurposed in the 1970's but were "rescued" to another plot, eventually revisited and released: http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/southerngarden/Figcitrus.html.
Excerpt :
The LSU Fig breeding program was established in the 1950's by Dr Ed O'Rourke, who developed several fig varieties and trained a number of graduate students in the program. Unfortunately in the early 1970ís his fig program was discontinued. His fig orchards fell in disrepair and were soon scheduled to be taken out. A research associate by name of Benny Williams made cutting from the remaining trees and moved the fig plantings to the Hammond Research Station in Southeast Louisiana. Unfortunately the figs did not thrive at the Hammond Station and never fruited. Dr Wayne Bourgeois took cuttings from the trees at the Hammond station and brought them to the Citrus Research Station in Port Sulfur, LA. The trees thrived and bore fruit at the Citrus Station.Promising fig selections identified by Dr O'Rourke at the Station were LSU Purple, LSU Gold, Golden Celeste and Improved Celeste. After cuttings of all the promising selections were rooted, the trees were distributed to interested individuals in 40 different parishes.

As for cold hardy, Gusti Berchtold of Lubera Nurseries in Switzerland has a line of cold-hardy figs not available stateside "Gustissimo Figs". I think they are selections (or seedling of) known cold hardy varieties of Europe. I think Berchtold has been trial-ing about 300 cultivars in his area near the Alps.

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