Resistant Cultivars of Currants

Currant is a fruit native to Europe. This beautiful and tasty fruit is ideal for eating fresh or made into delicious jams and jellies, and one can get its tremendous health benefits because the fruit is a storehouse of a range of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals.

However, Americans were not able to enjoy the taste and health benefits of currants around thirteen years ago because cultivation of currants was banned in the USA because of some nasty diseases, especially BCRV (Blackberry Chlorotic Ringspot Virus) and WPBR (White Pine Blister Rust).

Updated: November 25, 2024.

The Ban on Growing Ribes Plants in the U.S.: History and Current Status

Ribes plants, including currants and gooseberries, are beloved for their flavorful berries and ornamental appeal.

However, their cultivation in the United States has a complicated history due to their association with two significant plant diseases: Blackberry Chlorotic Ringspot Virus (BCRV) and White Pine Blister Rust (WPBR).

These diseases posed serious threats to economically and ecologically important crops, leading to restrictions on Ribes cultivation.

The Origin of the Ban

White Pine Blister Rust (WPBR)

White Pine Blister Rust (WPBR) is a fungal disease caused by Cronartium ribicola, first introduced to North America in the late 19th century through infected nursery stock from Europe. WPBR affects five-needle pines, such as Eastern and Western white pines, which are crucial to the lumber industry and forest ecosystems.

Ribes plants are an alternate host for the fungus, playing a critical role in its lifecycle. The spores produced on infected Ribes plants can travel significant distances to infect white pines, leading to devastating economic and ecological losses.

Blackberry Chlorotic Ringspot Virus (BCRV)

BCRV is another disease linked to Ribes plants. This virus, which affects blackberries, raspberries, and currants, can stunt plant growth, reduce yields, and diminish fruit quality.

While not as prominent in the historical bans as WPBR, concerns over its spread added to the regulatory scrutiny of Ribes plants.

Implementation of the Ban

In response to WPBR, the U.S. government implemented widespread bans on Ribes cultivation in the early 20th century. The federal ban, enacted in 1911, aimed to protect the lucrative white pine timber industry, particularly in regions like New England and the Pacific Northwest.

States adopted additional restrictions, creating a patchwork of regulations that varied by region. Some states prohibited Ribes entirely, while others permitted certain resistant varieties or imposed quarantine measures.

Advances in Ribes Cultivation and Disease Management

Over the decades, research into WPBR-resistant Ribes varieties advanced significantly. Breeding programs developed currants and gooseberries less likely to host the fungus, reducing the risk of WPBR transmission. These advancements prompted some states to ease restrictions on Ribes cultivation.

For example, New York lifted its ban on black currants in 2003, allowing specific resistant varieties to be grown legally. Other states followed suit, relaxing or modifying restrictions based on local risk assessments.

Current Status of the Ban

Today, the status of Ribes cultivation in the U.S. varies by state:

• Prohibited States: Some states, such as North Carolina and Maine, still maintain strict bans or heavily restrict Ribes cultivation to protect vulnerable pine forests.
• Permitted States: Many states allow the cultivation of WPBR-resistant Ribes varieties, with growers required to follow specific guidelines to minimize disease risks.
• Quarantine Areas: In certain regions, Ribes plants can only be grown under strict quarantine conditions to prevent the spread of WPBR.

Despite relaxed regulations in some areas, Ribes growers must remain vigilant. Federal and state agencies continue to monitor WPBR and BCRV outbreaks, balancing the benefits of Ribes cultivation with the need to protect white pine forests and other affected crops.

Challenges and Opportunities for Growers

While the ban's partial lifting has opened opportunities for farmers and gardeners, challenges remain:

• Market Opportunities: Ribes plants are gaining popularity among consumers for their high vitamin C content and unique flavors, creating a growing market for berries and value-added products like jams and juices.
• Disease Monitoring: Growers must adhere to local regulations and monitor for signs of WPBR or BCRV to ensure compliance and prevent disease outbreaks.
• Education and Advocacy: Advocacy groups and researchers are working to educate the public about the benefits of Ribes cultivation and the importance of disease-resistant varieties.

The history of the Ribes ban in the U.S. reflects the complex relationship between agriculture, ecology, and industry. While advancements in disease-resistant plants have allowed for a resurgence of Ribes cultivation in some areas, the legacy of the ban serves as a reminder of the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the importance of responsible agricultural practices.

For growers and enthusiasts, understanding local regulations and contributing to disease prevention efforts is key to enjoying these versatile and valuable plants.

Disease-Resistant Cultivars of Black Currants

Ben Alder: Ben Alder is vulnerable to white pine blister rust; however it’s very resistant to mildew. This is a high-yielding cultivar with an intense juice quality. Its growth pattern is upright and compact, and the berries are suitable to machine harvesting. Plants grow vigorously; however height may vary as per climate, though it grows at least to four feet. It blooms later than other black currant varieties. Harvest times lie between late July and early August.

Ben Lomond: This cultivar is vulnerable to white pine blister rust but is usually resistant to mildew. However, the resistance has gone down in some regions. This is a mid-season variety and is famous for its tolerance to frost during flowering and even ripening, large fruit, high yields, longer hang time, superior stock of vitamin C, and high juice quality. It attains a height of 4 ½ feet, and the bush is dense and spreading.

Ben Sarek: This cultivar is immune to white pine blister rust. Its prominent features are compact bush size, very large berries, high productivity, and suitability for hand harvesting. Its fruit is fresh and dessert quality. It also has a high tolerance for cold and frost injury and it flowers and ripens around 7 days prior to Ben Lomond. Bush is compact with medium vigor and attains around 1 meter and 3 feet of height. Its fruit is large, and its yield is heavy. To support its heavy load, you can build a wire trellis or staking on either side of the row.

Titania: This cultivar is resistant to white pine blister rust and also has good immunity against powdery mildew. It has large fruits of high dessert quality. The bush is very vigorous and grows up to 6 feet. This cultivar achieves full maturity within 3 seasons as compared to 4 or 5 seasons taken by most other cultivars. Due to its vigorous nature, this variety is more adaptable to growth in substandard soils and also needs less manure than other varieties.

Consort: This is an early- to mid-season variety with medium-sized fruit having medium firmness and fair juice quality. It’s self-fertile and has a reliable set, but its productivity is rated fairly. It’s vulnerable to mildew and leaf spots but immune to WPBR.

Crusader and Coronet: These varieties are similar to Consort but need pollinators. They are resistant to WPBR, but quality and yields are poor.

Tisel: This relatively new cultivar is mid-season and is a progeny of Titania. It’s very productive, and fruit ripens evenly with a very high content of vitamin C. It’s reportedly immune to WPBR and also has good resistance to mildew. However, it’s not yet available in the USA.

Disease Resistant Cultivars of Red, White, and Pink Currants

Jonkheer van Tets: This is a very popular cultivar. It’s an early-season variety with bright red fruit and amazing flavor. It’s very productive, too, but has an untidy growth pattern. It’s best grown as a cordon. It is very vulnerable to cane blight, so you should manage the disease right from its planting.

Red Lake: Another very popular red currant cultivar in North America, Red Lake is, however, pretty vulnerable to mildew and also does not have much tolerance to frost in late spring. It has large-sized fruits of high juice quality. This variety gives high yields of large, firm berries that ripen in mid-season.

Rovada: This red currant cultivar is immune to mildew as well as other leaf diseases. It gives huge yields on full long strigs (bunches of fruit) of very large fruit. Rovada is, therefore, a red currant cultivar from the commercial point of view, too. However, it is vulnerable to cane blight and needs disease management from the beginning.

Tatran: Tatran is a red currant that ripens late and has exceptionally long strigs. It’s very winter-robust and is commercially accepted as a late-ripening cultivar of good potential for prolonging the u-pick season.

Blanka: This is an easy-to-grow and very reliable variety. It offers heavy yields, has long clusters, good shelf life, and some tolerance to spring frost when it blooms in mid-spring. The bush is very vigorous, with a little spreading growth pattern. Its fruit is opaque, large, and beige in color.

Primus: Fruits of this cultivar are translucent white with a yellow tinge. Bush grows vigorously and upright, giving high yields, but it isn’t as good-looking as Blanka.

Pink Champagne: This variety has a very beautiful translucent pink fruit with a very good, sweet flavor and quality. It’s easy to grow and extremely suitable for home gardens as well as u-pick and green markets. Pink Champagne is vulnerable to berry run-off because of incomplete strings. So, it’s considered to be a shy yielder. But its good flavor and quality of fruit compensate for shy yield. The growth pattern is vigorous and upright, and it’s immune to leaf diseases.

Cascade: This red currant cultivar is in the early season, and its fruit is large and medium to dark red. It has short strings. Plants are slightly spreading and erect, and have medium vigor and productivity. Berries should be picked immediately because they are vulnerable to sunscald.
Wilder: This is a mid-to late-season variety with large fruit that is dark red in color and sub-acid, produced in compact, large clusters. Bush is large, upright and productive. It’s immune to leaf spots.

White Imperial: A mid-season variety, White Imperial is one of the most commonly available varieties of white currant. It has small fruits with the lowest tartness, on long strigs. It gives moderate yields. The plant has a spreading growth pattern.

Detvan: This is a mid-season variety from Slovakia with large, upright, robust plants. Fruits, too, are large, produced on very long strings, usually as many as 25-30 fruits per strig; so, it’s very high yielding. It has a good immunity against gray mold. It should be cultivated with a minimum of five-foot row centers.

This is just a small list of possible and desirable currants in small and home gardens. Over time, new disease-resistant cultivars will emerge, and if you happen to have a chance to try them - do that! And enjoy this very decorative and healthy fruit.

Note: just in case, always check local laws and check in your local garden centers what plants are allowed and recommended for your area.