Yellow Raspberries

[BOB6831]

I bought 3 yellow raspberries plants(Amber) last year from a mail order catalog.... and they have grown very well. This year, berries are developing........ BUT....... on a few canes that I believe were the YELLOW raspberries, I have seen 1 undeveloped RED colored raspberry and have picked 1 black raspberry!!! I will have to wait to see if actually get any YELLOW raspberries.  Two questions..... since I do have black raspberry plants very near (within 20 feet) of these canes, could they be cross-breeding/pollinatiing?   Also, how does Queen Anne YELLOW raspberries compare to Amber. From what I have seen online, looks like most reviews favor Queen Anne.

Bob

[lavender]

The only plant I have ever seen this type of cross pollination happen on is corn. If you plant two types you will often get kernels of different types as a result of cross pollination. I suppose this could take place with raspberries as well.

Another possible explanation which is just a guess.  The coloring in raspberries is due to pigmentation similar to what you see in Autumn leaves. Because there are three colors it is probably fairly safe to say that most plants contain genes for all three colors and the color is produced because one kind of gene predominates. Again guessing that the yellow might a recessive gene it would be suppressed should a gene of another color find its way into the fruit. I don't know where you would find genetic information on raspberries. Penn State maybe.

If it does turn out to be an entire cane producing a different color fruit it is what is called a "sport". I have a bicolored rose that frequently puts up shoots that bloom in a single color. I get them out of there if possible. They are probably due to some kind of genetic mutation.