Ben Alder x Russian cultivar Golubka.

Around 10-12 days earlier than Ben Hope. Winter chilling requirement has been assessed as relatively low.

Ben Gairn is the earliest of the UK varieties grown commercially, with a harvest usually 8 to 10 days before Ben Hope. Yields of over 10t/ha have been achieved in trials.
 

Has a fairly compact growth habit, and is highly suitable for mechanical harvesting. The growth in the middle of the bush can become quite dense, so some thinning is useful in such cases. Establishment is best on deep fertile soils.

Good in terms of juice colour and anthocyanin content, although ascorbic acid levels are moderate to low. Flavour is acceptable in both fresh and processed forms. The berries are generally large (around 1.2g per berry), with good integrity after harvest.
 

A key agronomic advantage of this cultivar is its resistance to Blackcurrant Reversion Virus. The resistance is derived from the species Ribes dikuscha in the Russian variety Golubka, which is a parent of Ben Gairn. This is accompanied by reduced susceptibility to blackcurrant gall mite, compared to most other varieties, and also good resistance to foliar diseases. However, Ben Gairn shows quite high susceptibility to aphid attacks in some regions.