Blackcurrant Blackcurrant The blackcurrant or black currant ("Ribes nigrum") is a woody shrub in the family Grossulariaceae grown for its berries. It is native to temperate parts of central and northern Europe and northern Asia where it prefers damp fertile soils and is widely cultivated both commercially and domestically. It is winterhardy, but cold weather at flowering time during the spring reduces the size of the crop. Bunches of small, glossy black fruit develop along the stems in the summer and can be harvested by hand or by machine. The raw fruit is particularly rich in vitamin C and polyphenol phytochemicals.
Epicoccum nigrum pigments currently used in food. It produces a variety of pigments, ranging from darker oranges to yellows and greens. These pigments were synthesized by nonpathogenic strains of "E. nigrum". In Brazil, "E. nigrum" is used to support root growth and control sugarcane pathogens. It is a biocontrol antifungal agent active against brown rot in stone fruit, caused the species "Monilinia laxa" and "Monilinia fructigena". In contrast to these uses for "E. nigrum" metabolites, there has been an investigation into methods of controlling "E. nigrum" fungal colonies that have contaminated historic and cultural artifacts. The fungus was found to be quite