US (NH): University-bred kiwiberries at farmers markets

Have you ever tasted a kiwiberry? During September, the University of New Hampshire’s kiwiberry research team invites the public to sample kiwiberries at farmers markets across the state. Researchers will use the public feedback to hone breeding goals and assess consumer demand.

In 2013, Iago Hale, a plant breeder and assistant professor of specialty crop improvement at UNH’s College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, established a kiwiberry research and breeding program at the NH Agricultural Experiment Station’s Woodman Horticultural Research Farm. In the first research project of its kind, researchers aim to develop improved, economically viable kiwiberry varieties for small farms in the state.

With their general adaptation to the region, their attractive appearance, intense and complex flavor profiles, high levels of bioactive compounds, and easy consumability, kiwiberries have long been recognized for their potential as a high-value crop in the Northeast. A tender, smooth-skinned relative of the fuzzy supermarket kiwi, grape-sized kiwiberries are tropical-tasting fruits that have grown in the backyards and private gardens of New England for 140 years. Despite this long history in the region, however, virtually no commercial production exists.

The public can sample kiwiberries on the following dates at farmers markets across the state:

For more information:
University of New Hampshire
Iago Hale
(603) 862-4653
Iago.Hale@unh.edu
www.unh.edu/halelab/kiwiberry/