Introduction of New Raspberry Varieties Under Meadow-Bog Soil Conditions in the Andijan Region

Raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) is a valuable berry crop rich in vitamins, organic acids and polyphenolic antioxidants, yet its cultivation in the Fergana Valley of Uzbekistan remains poorly studied. This article presents the results of the first year (2025–2026) of a study on the introduction of seven raspberry cultivars of Italian, American, Dutch, Polish and Russian origin under the meadow-bog soil conditions of the Andijan region. The cultivars Violet, Margarita, Maravilla, Mapema, Lyachka, Avgustina and Vladimir were planted on November 11, 2025, at a 200 × 50 cm spacing (10,000 plants/ha) with drip irrigation, following pre-plant application of 10 t/ha of organic manure, 150 kg/ha of phosphorus and 50 kg/ha of potassium fertilizers and two nitrogen top-dressings. Phenological observations were carried out according to the standard methodology for variety evaluation of fruit and berry crops. Shoot emergence reached 90% in March–April 2026, flowering began on May 5, and the first ripe fruits were recorded from June 2 (Lyachka) to September 28 (Violet), giving a first-harvest window of almost four months. On this basis, the cultivars were grouped into early-ripening (Lyachka, Margarita, Vladimir, Avgustina), mid-season (Maravilla, Mapema) and late-ripening (Violet) groups. When summer air temperatures exceeded 30 °C, the Russian-bred cultivars showed high plant mortality, whereas cultivars from Italy, the USA and the Netherlands showed better heat and disease tolerance and stronger growth. The cultivars Maravilla, Margarita, Violet and Mapema are preliminarily recommended for further testing and cultivation in the Andijan region; multi-year trials with yield measurements are required to confirm these findings.