ISHS Acta Horticulturae 446: VI International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture
THE WILD PARTRIDGEBERRY (VACCINIUM VITIS-IDAEA L. VAR. MINUS LODD) INDUSTRY IN NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR AND THE POTENTIAL FOR EXPANSION UTILIZING EUROPEAN CULTIVARS |
| Authors: | B.G. Penney, C.A. Gallagher, P.A. Hendrickson, R.A. Churchill, E. Butt |
| Keywords: | Lingonberry, Foxberry, Cowberry |
| Abstract:
Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. var. minus Lodd, known in Newfoundland and Labrador as partridgeberry, is an economically important native fruit that is harvested from unmanaged natural stands. Annual production varies, but a mean annual harvest of 96,500 kilograms makes Newfoundland and Labrador the largest North American producer. Most fruit is exported frozen, but there is local secondary processing. There is a limited local market for fresh fruit, but the potential for sales outside Newfoundland holds considerable promise. Following the development of commercial partridgeberry farms in Germany it was decided to evaluate the potential of European cultivars as an alternative crop for small fruit producers in Newfoundland. The European partridgeberry was chosen for study because it is a taller and more bush-type plant than the local variety and would presumably be higher yielding and easier to harvest. Results with rooted cuttings of the cultivars ‘Koralle’, ‘Ammerland’ and ‘Red Pearl’ field-planted at Pynn's Brook and St. John's in 1992 indicate that ‘Red Pearl’ spreads more rapidly, but yields less fruit than the others. Total production at Pynn's Brook in 1995 for ‘Koralle’, ‘Ammerland’ and ‘Red Pearl’ was 306, 147 and 101 g/m2 row, respectively. Vegetative growth was good in all cultivars, but heaving was a problem with mother plants. More testing is required to determine the suitability of these and other cultivars for commercial production, especially with respect to establishment, crop yield and maturity. | |
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