ISHS Acta Horticulturae 810: IX International Vaccinium Symposium
BLUEBERRY CULTIVAR DEVELOPMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA |
| Author: | D.S. NeSmith |
| Keywords: | Vaccinium ashei, V. corymbosum, blueberry breeding, rabbiteye blueberry, southern highbush blueberry, fruit quality |
| Abstract:
Georgia's blueberry breeding efforts date back to 1925 when a few selections of rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) plants were set at The University of Georgia’s Coastal Plains Experiment Station in Tifton. The program was greatly expanded by Dr. W. Thomas Brightwell in 1945 when he secured 10 ha of suitable blueberry soil at a research farm near Alapaha, GA. Since that time, thousands of seedlings have been generated and evaluated in south Georgia by cooperating UGA and USDA personnel. In 1997, the blueberry breeding program was expanded to include a site at Griffin, GA. Today, the UGA Program encompasses 20 ha in Alapaha and 3 ha acres in Griffin. Prior to 1997, the cultivar development effort largely involved rabbiteye blueberries. This species is well adapted to many soils in Georgia, and their continued usage by the industry is expected. In fact, 80–85% of the blueberry acreage in Georgia is rabbiteye. In 1997, increased efforts with southern highbush blueberries (V. corymbosum L.) began. This species is desirable because of its high quality, early ripening fruit; however, this species of blueberry is limited by production problems in the Southeast including those that are soil and weather related. Some current goals of the UGA Program are: 1) development of large fruited rabbiteye cultivars; 2) development of mechanically harvestable cultivars; 3) development of late flowering, early ripening southern highbush cultivars; 4) development of vigorous southern highbush cultivars with a wider range of soil adaptability; and 5) development of high quality fruit with regard to flavor and storage/shipping. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
