2005 Annual Report 4d.Progress report. This report serves to document research conducted under a specific cooperative agreement between ARS and Washington State University. Additional details of research can be found in the report for the parent project 5358-21000-036-00D Physiology, Biochemistry, and Genetic Improvement of Small Fruit Crops. Objectives: 1) To develop processing red raspberry cultivars that are adapted to the Pacific Northwest that are machine harvestable. Additional traits to incorporate into new cultivars are RBDV resistance and root rot tolerance. 2) To develop strawberry cultivars that are adapted to the Pacific Northwest and that have higher picking efficiency than current industry standards. Additional traits to incorporate into new cultivars are: fruit firmness and disease resistance. In 2005, a planting was established to evaluate selections for machine harvestability with 46 WSU raspberry selections. This planting will be machine harvested in 2007 and 2008. A machine harvesting planting was established in 2002 with 50 WSU selections and another in 2003 with 53 selections. These two plantings were machine harvested in 2004 and 2005 and the selections subjectively evaluated for machine harvestability. Several selections appear promising and are being propagated for further evaluation. Ten thousand raspberry seedlings were planted in 2005, and selections will be made in this planting in 2007 and 2008. Ninety-four crosses were made in 2005, using selections that appear to machine harvest well as parents. Seedlings from these crosses will be planted in 2006 and selections will be made in 2008 and 2009. Selections made in 2005 are being propagated for inclusion in a machine harvesting planting in 2006. Two raspberry cultivars were released in 2005, 'Cascade Dawn' and 'Cascade Bounty'. 'Cascade Dawn' is an early season, local fresh market cultivar that has some root rot tolerance and appears to be RBDV resistant. 'Cascade Bounty' is a mid-season processing cultivar that is machine harvestable and has very high levels of root rot tolerance. Seventy-seven strawberry crosses were made in 2005 with parents chosen for fruit size, firmness and productivity. Seedlings from these crosses will be planted in 2006, and selections will be made in 2007. In 2005, a replicated planting was established with 45 WSU strawberry selections. This planting will be harvested, and these selections will be evaluated in 2006 and 2007. Five thousand strawberry seedlings were planted in 2005. These seedlings will be evaluated in 2006. The replicated plantings established in 2003 and 2004 were harvested and selections evaluated. These results have not been summarized yet. Selections made in 2005 are being propagated for inclusion in a replicated planting in 2006.