Blueberry and Strawberry Breeding Highlights. Michael Dossett BC Berry Cultivar Development Inc. Presented by Eric Gerbrandt

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1 Blueberry and Strawberry Breeding Highlights Michael Dossett BC Berry Cultivar Development Inc. Presented by Eric Gerbrandt

season and concentrated ripening Shock and Scorch virus resistance/tolerance

2 Program Objectives: Develop varieties for processing and fresh markets Machine-harvestability (#1) improved growth habit (#3) Firmer fruit (#2) Span season and concentrated ripening Shock and Scorch virus resistance/tolerance Improved tolerance to root rot/water-logged soils Improved resistance to bacterial and fungal cane diseases

3 What is Involved in a Blueberry Year 1 - Make crosses, plant seedlings Breeding Program? Years 3,4 - Evaluate seedlings, make and propagate selections Years 6,7 - Begin evaluation of selections Year 8 or so - Grower trials Years Release cultivar

4 Testing blueberry selections for bruising tendency

6 350 Firmness of Recent Blueberry Releases and BC Selections (2016 data) 300 Firmness (g force/mm deflection) Jul 11-Jul 0 Duke Clockwork Topshelf Blue Ribbon BC Liberty BC Cargo BC BC BC Draper Huron BC Calypso BC BC BC BC BC Jul Variety or Selection

7 First Selections Ready for BC (cross in 2009, selected in 2013) BC (cross in 2011, selected in 2014) BC (cross in 2011, selected in 2014) BC (cross in 2011, selected in 2014) Grower Trial!

Second Round Selections Ready for BC 12-6-35 (cross in 2009, selected in 2013) Grower Trial!

8 Second Round Selections Ready for BC (cross in 2009, selected in 2013) Grower Trial! BC (cross in 2011, selected in 2014) BC (cross in 2011, selected in 2014)

BC 12-6-35 Similar growth habit as Draper - may not produce a particularly large bush Flower buds are small and indistinct may not be fully formed in fall?

9 BC Similar growth habit as Draper - may not produce a particularly large bush Flower buds are small and indistinct may not be fully formed in fall? Midseason probably about same timing as Bluecrop Medium-large berry, dry scar, light blue colour Concerns: Yield and vigour Phenomenal fruit quality - particularly firmness and shelf-life!

10 200 Firmness After Cold Storage of Handharvested Blueberry Fruit 180 Firmness (g/mm deflection) BC Bluecrop Draper Duke 60 Harvest 7 Days 14 Days 21 Days 28 Days 35 Days Days in Cold Storage

BC 14-40-117 Upright, open bush, very vigorous grower!

later Very small scar, light blue colour, good flavour

11 BC Upright, open bush, very vigorous grower! Midseason probably will start with Bluecrop or slightly later Very small scar, light blue colour, good flavour Firmer than Draper, but not as firm as Need more plants!

BC 14-40-158 Upright, narrow, vase-shaped bush Early-midseason - later than Draper, probably a bit earlier than BC 12-6-35 and BC 14-40-117 Medium-sized, medium blue colour, very

12 BC Upright, narrow, vase-shaped bush Early-midseason - later than Draper, probably a bit earlier than BC and BC Medium-sized, medium blue colour, very good flavour Firmness similar to Duke or Draper Sets a lot of flower buds, heavy pruning will be important Fruit clusters can be tight - might be a problem for mechanical harvest?

BC 14-42-1 Upright, open bush Early-midseason early read is that this will have similar timing to 14-40-158 Medium-sized, dark blue colour, good

13 BC Upright, open bush Early-midseason early read is that this will have similar timing to Medium-sized, dark blue colour, good flavour - may be processing only because of colour and size? Firmness similar to Draper Sets a lot of flower buds, heavy pruning will be important

14 Early/Mid-Season Samples (July 28-August 4): BC Selections with Comparisons at Clearbrook Fruit firmness (g force/mm deflection) BC (Clearbrook) BC (Clearbrook) BC (Clearbrook) BC (Clearbrook) BC (Clearbrook) Bluecrop (Clearbrook) Time post harvest (date)

Day-neutral Strawberry Activities Evaluate selections already in pipeline Evaluate material from outside of program Focus on day-neutrals but continue with June-bearers as

15 Day-neutral Strawberry Activities Evaluate selections already in pipeline Evaluate material from outside of program Focus on day-neutrals but continue with June-bearers as needed ~3000 seedlings/year At least one parent in each cross is DN Selections made in spring, catch both DN and JB plants, monitor through season Propagate for further evaluation

Strawberry Selection in Pipeline Selection of interest: BC 10-2-1 Excellent reviews from Quebec grower trials, particularly fruit

16 Strawberry Selection in Pipeline Selection of interest: BC Excellent reviews from Quebec grower trials, particularly fruit quality Early read in BC is size and yield similar to Albion Compact plant makes fruit visible and picking easy Currently in virus cleanup

17 BC

18 BC

19 BC BC BC BC

20 Thank You! RIDC, BCBC, BCSGA, LMHIA, WRRC, WSC Georgia Kliever, Gosia Zdanowicz, Carol Koch, Rob Hildebrandt, Chaim Kempler Eric Gerbrandt, Carolyn Teasdale, Mark Sweeney, Karina Sakalauskas, Siva Sabaratnam, Tom Baumann, Jason Smith, Mike Makara, Rudi Janzen Amanda Herfst, Ariel Brown, Meghan Samoyloff, Katie Galliazzo, Celia Stewart, Mark Schmidt, Aleesha Jones, Joanna Zhu, Angel Chu Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) Anyone else I may have inadvertently left off!

21 Thank You! (604) Office

Blueberry Conference 2018 Varieties development Horst 07 March Andrea Pergher, Fall Creek. Fall Creek

Blueberry Conference 2018 Varieties development Horst 07 March 2018 Andrea Pergher, Fall Creek Fall Creek Founded In 1978 Family-owned 125+ hectares of nursery in production 35+ million blueberry plants