Specialty crop producers in Alaska need consistent, suitable crop and varietal options for successful commercial production, as food security is a major concern in this state that imports 95% of its food. The climate in much of Alaska is ideal for cool season, perennial corps that are winter hardy, such as Rhubarb (Rheum sp.). Rhubarb was brought to Alaska through several waves of immigration from regions extending from Russia through England and is now established throughout the state. Once a site for the National Plant Germplasm System (NPGS) Arctic and Subarctic Plant Gene Bank, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Matanuska Experiment Farm and Extension Center still maintains a collection of 41 accessions of Rheum sp. in the field. In addition, a new collection of heirloom rhubarb plants has been assembled by a local grower and maintained in large pots. In this project, we collected leaf samples from the heirloom collection plants for genotyping and phenotyping, as well as benchmark samples from plants remaining in the former germplasm collection, to provide an understanding of relatedness and desirable characteristics. A 5 cm square sample of leaf tissue was harvest from each plant, dried, and sent to a commercial laboratory for genotyping. Size and color of leaves and petioles, dates of emergence, plant vigor, and juice quality were measured on plants from the heirloom collection. Finally, surveys carried out of the last 12 years targeted a diversity of stakeholders (commercial producers, business owners, and the general public) to identify rhubarb quality expectations, including flavor, juice content, petiole color, and plant vigor. Based on genotyping results, plants not genetically redundant to those in the NPGS rhubarb collection currently located in Pullman, Washington, will be added to the collection. We present recommendations for variety suitability for different climate regions of Alaska based on the traits measured, taking into account varieties of rhubarb currently available wholesale to Alaska. Recommendations are also presented for further research into commercial production and added-value characteristics.
