2006 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. Dr. Patrick Moore and collaborators conducted the following research towards the agreement: Objectives: 1) To develop processing red raspberry cultivars that are adapted to the PNW 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 PNW and that have higher picking efficiency than current industry standards. Additional traits to incorporate into new cultivars are: fruit firmness and disease resistance. In 2006, a planting was established to evaluate raspberry selections for machine harvestability with 100 ten-plant plots. The planting included 78 WSU selections, 19 BC selections and three cultivars. This planting will be machine harvested in 2008 and 2009. A machine harvesting planting established in 2004 with 78 ten-plant plots (51 WSU selections) was harvested for the first time in 2006. Several selections appear promising. Two plantings of advanced selections were planted in 2005. One of these plantings had sufficient growth for it to be machine harvested in 2006. All of the advanced selections machine harvested well. For the first time samples from selections were frozen in an IQF (Individual Quick Frozen) tunnel. Some selections appear to have potential for IQF use. Eight to nine thousand raspberry seedlings were planted in 2006 from crosses made in 2005 and selections will be made in this planting in 2008 and 2009. Eighty-four crosses were made in 2006, using selections that appear to machine harvest well. Seedlings from these crosses will be planted in 2007 and selections made in 2009 and 2010. Selections made in 2006 will be propagated for inclusion in a machine harvesting planting in 2007. Sixty-eight strawberry crosses were made in 2006 with parents chosen for large fruit size, firm fruit and productivity. Seedlings from these crosses will be planted in 2007 and selections made in 2008. Thirty-three selections were made among the seedlings planted in 2005. These selections are being propagated for further testing. Fourteen of these selections will be propagated, go through virus clean up and then planted in replicated plots. The other selections will be propagated and planted in non-replicated plots for further evaluation. In 2006, a planting was established with 60 WSU strawberry selections, 13 selections in replicated plots and 47 selections in non-replicated plots. This planting will be harvested and these selections evaluated in 2007 and 2008. Approximately 5,000 strawberry seedlings were planted in 2006. These seedlings will be evaluated in 2007. The replicated planting established in 2005 was harvested in 2006 and selections evaluated.