Blueberries and Blueberry Biology

Transcription

1 Blueberries and Blueberry Biology Paul Lyrene, Plant Breeding Professor (retired); Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida IFAS, Gainesville, FL

2 Talk Outline Growing back-yard blueberries in Sarasota County Blueberry biology and ecology Commercial blueberry production worldwide Other potential back-yard fruit crops for this area

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5 Growing a few blueberries in your back yard in Sarasota Recommended varieties: Emerald, Jewel, Sharpblue, Kestrel, Snowchaser, Flicker; Plant two or more varieties for cross-pollination Acid soils, ph below 5.5, good drainage, often planted on beds of soil mixed with Canadian peat. ph can be lowered with elemental sulfur (1 Lb per 100 square feet) Low-pH irrigation water rain barrel water

6 Full sun to partial shade, far from the roots of broadleaf trees (farther than the tree is tall). Mulch with pine straw (or pine bark) Fertilize lightly 6 times/year during growing season Let the birds eat the fruit or put on a light net Plants flower in February, ripen April and May

7 Blueberry Classification Family: Ericaceae: Vaccinium = blueberries; Gaylussacia = huckleberries; Erica = Heath, Rhododendron, Lyonia, Mountain laurel, Genus Vaccinium: 400 species worldwide; all make edible berries. Center of origin of Vaccinium: tropical highlands Center of origin of section Cyanococcus, the blueberries most important in world agriculture: eastern North America

8 Vaccinium species important in world commerce: Section Cyanococcus blueberries: Lowbush, highbush, and rabbiteye blueberries: native in eastern North America Cranberries: Wisconsin, Mass. (Native in eastern North America) Lingonberry: Sweden, Norway, Russia, Alaska Bilberry: northern Europe, Alaska, Canadagathered from the forest; valued for tart, intensely blue flesh

9 Bilberry and Lingonberry forest, Norway

10 Fruit market with bilberry, Bergen, Norway

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12 Some blueberry biology The 400 species of blueberries existing today are all descendants of one species that lived about 50 million years ago in mountainous areas north of Australia The various groups of blueberries (cranberries, lingonberries, bilberries, sparkleberries, deerberries, section Cyanococcus blueberries) represent different evolutionary branches from the original species. Each of these branches has many sub-branches

13 Section Cyanococcus blueberries Originally found only in eastern North America Includes three commercially-important groups: lowbush blueberries of NE U.S. and S.E. Canada; rabbiteye blueberry from north Florida; highbush blueberry native from Lake Okeechobee to Nova Scotia Also contains 20 wild species, 7 of which occur naturally in Florida

14 Despite greatly different appearances, many of the section Cyanococcus blueberries can be hybridized to make perfectly-fertile offspring This fact has allowed breeders to develop cultivars with a wide range of adaptations and characteristics

15 Vaccinium darrowii: Florida native lowbush blueberry

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17 North-South Adaptation of native Vaccinium corymbosum Many woody plants that are native in eastern North America have a long north-south range (Highbush blueberry, red maple, red mulberry, dogwood, persimmon, hackberry). A plant from New Jersey will not grow in Florida even if the same species is native in Florida. Differences in chilling requirement are one important reason, but are only the tip of the adaptational iceberg.

18 Highbush blueberries from New Jersey are deciduous and have a high chilling requirement. Highbush blueberries from Highlands County Florida are almost evergreen and have no chilling requirement.

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20 Blueberry Reproduction Most woody plants are cross-pollinated; they have various methods of preventing close inbreeding. Some are dioecious (holly, wax myrtle, eastern redcedar), some are monoecious (oaks, hickory, pines), some have perfect flowers but are self incompatible. Wild blueberries have perfect flowers but are self-incompatible. Cultivars are somewhat more self-fertile but it is best to mix two or more varieties

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25 Blueberry propagation Methods: Seeds, division, stem cuttings, root cuttings, in-vitro tissue cultures, grafting Blueberries of almost every species are extremely easy to grow from seed but almost nobody can do it. Commercial blueberry varieties do not come true to seed, but most seedlings are quite good.

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30 Breeding new blueberry cultivars The fact that blueberries grown from seed are extremely variable is the key to breeding new varieties. If you choose the best seedling and propagate it with cuttings, it retains its superiority. The task of the breeder is to breed better parents so that when they are crossed, they produce seedlings of exceptionally high quality.

31 Getting better parents by recurrent selection: This is the key to all plant breeding Start with the 200 best plants you can find Use them to make 100 crosses Grow 100 seedlings from each cross, and from the 10,000 seedlings, chose the best 200 plants. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat

32 History of Blueberry Production Blueberries were gathered from the forest by native Americans : 2000 acres of rabbiteye blueberries planted in north Florida using wild plants dug from the Yellow River in west Florida 1916 First improved highbush blueberry varieties released by USDA for New Jersey 1948 Ralph Sharpe began breeding Floridaadapted highbush blueberries for Florida

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39 1976: first low-chill highbush cultivars released from UF: Sharpblue and Flordablue 1983: first year fresh blueberries were available in NYC earlier than May 20. Florida grower got $5 per pound compared to 50 cents for pick-your-own $70 million per year: current value of Florida blueberry crop

40 World Production of Highbush blueberries 1977: 120 million pounds, 95% from North America 38 Years later: 2015: 1,200 million pounds, 50% from North America

41 Reasons for growth in Blueberry production New varieties and production in southern hemisphere extended the season; formerly May 20 to August 20, now 365 days of the year. Blueberries are popular with consumers: easy to eat, health benefits Harvest and packinghouse advancements Long post-harvest life

42 New Project: Breeding deerberries Deerberries (Vaccinium stamineum) are native throughout most of Florida They have large fruit, high yields, potentially good flavor, grow well on scrubland and high pine land (Rosemary and Turkey oak land) They have never been domesticated Why? Bitter fruit, hard to propagate true-totype The main reason: nobody has worked on them

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49 Other possible fruits for Florida Greening-tolerant citrus: Mandarin: Fall Glow and Sugarbelle Grapefruit: Jackson and Triumph Kumquat: grafted on to Poncirus rootstock

50 Figs Variety: Brown Turkey Plant near cement foundation Mulch heavily with pinestraw Fertilize and water lots Fruit ripe July and August Black Mulberries: get a low-chill variety

51 Strawberries Plant in October Harvest December through May

52 Japanese Persimmon Various astringent and nonastringent varieties Tanenashi, Fuyu and others Grafted onto native American rootstock, Diospyros virginiana

53 Blackberries and Raspberries Ocklawaha and Florida Grand dewberries Brazos and Tupe blackberries Mysore tropical black raspberry

54 Apples Anna and Dorsett Golden Squirrels and summer fruit rot

55 Other Potential Crops Banana: Dwarf Cavendish Pineapples: racoons love them Avocadoes: Laurel wilt an impending problem Grapes: google: edis.ifas.ufl.edu Jujube: Zizyphus jujuba

56 Chinese Jujube: Zizyphus jujuba