scholarly journals FRUITING IN SOUTHERN HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRIES: POLLEN SOURCE AND HONEY BEE POLLINATION EFFICIENCY

HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 613f-614
Author(s):  
Robert G. Danka ◽  
Gregory A. Lang
Keyword(s):  
Honey Bees ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Floral Morphology ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Bee Pollination ◽  
Bee Foraging ◽  
Highbush Blueberries ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Net Cages

`Gulfcoast' southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum × V. darrowi) plants were placed in 3 × 6 × 2.5 m net cages with one colony of honey bees per cage and one of three pollinizer treatments: “self (other `Gulfcoast' plants), “cross/highbush” (other southern highbush cultivars), or “cross/rabbiteye” (various rabbiteye blueberry cultivars). In addition to unlimited pollination, bee foraging was controlled on individual flowers by placing small bags over corollas after 0, 1, 5, or 10 visits. Fruit set, fruit weight, fruit development period, and seed number data were taken, as well as data to relate floral morphology to duration of bee foraging. All measures of fruiting increased significantly with increased bee visitation; the threshold for significant gains in production occurred between 1 and 5 visits. Ten visits generally provided a good approximation of unlimited pollination. Set, weight, and earliness of ripening was as good, or better, for fruit derived from rabbiteye pollen compared to fruit from self- or cross/highbush-pollination.

scholarly journals Effects of CPPU Applications on Southern Highbush Blueberries

HortScience ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 1612-1615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey G. Williamson ◽  
D. Scott NeSmith
Keyword(s):  
Growth Regulator ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Berry Size ◽  
Spray Volume ◽  
Highbush Blueberries ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Spray Timing

Greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine the effects of the growth regulator N-(2-chloro-4-pyridyl)-N′-phenylurea (CPPU) on fruit set, berry size, and yield of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum hybrids). The experiments were conducted over a period of several years in Georgia and Florida. CPPU sprays were capable of increasing fruit set and berry weight of southern highbush blueberry, although the responses to CPPU treatment were variable and appeared to be influenced by factors such as rate, spray timing, and cultivar. In Florida, high natural fruit set may have prevented increased fruit set from CPPU. A slight delay in berry maturity was noted in several experiments. Spray burn occurred on several occasions and may be related to factors such as cultivar, rate, spray volume, and use of surfactant.

scholarly journals Impact of Cross- and Self-pollination on Fruit Set, Fruit Size, Seed Number, and Harvest Timing Among 13 Southern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars

2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah K. Taber ◽  
James W. Olmstead
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
High Yield ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Cross Pollination ◽  
Self Pollination ◽  
Southern Highbush

Cross-pollination has been associated with improved fruit set, weight, and shortened time to ripening in southern highbush blueberry [SHB (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids)]. Because of this, growers commonly plant two or more cultivars in small blocks to facilitate cross-pollination. However, many SHB cultivars may vary in the degree of improvement in each parameter after cross-pollination. Understanding the impacts of cross-pollination on a particular cultivar is crucial to forming planting recommendations, particularly as growers begin to transition to fields designed for machine harvest where large solid blocks would increase the harvest efficiency. The objective of this study was to examine the effects of cross- and self-pollination among 13 commonly planted or newly released SHB cultivars. Cross-pollination typically improved fruit set, fruit weight, and seed number while decreasing the average days to harvest. Cross-pollinated fruit always weighed more than self-pollinated fruit from the same cultivar, which was highly correlated to seed number per fruit. Although there was variation for each trait, interplanting with another unrelated cultivar sharing a similar bloom time remains the best recommendation to ensure early, high yield among these SHB cultivars.

scholarly journals Honey-bee-mediated Cross- versus Self-pollination of `Sharpblue' Blueberry Increases Fruit Size and Hastens Ripening

1991 ◽  
Vol 116 (5) ◽  
pp. 770-773 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory A. Lang ◽  
Robert G. Danka
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bee ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Cross Pollination ◽  
Early Ripening ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Early Market

To study self- and cross-pollination effects on fruit development in southern highbush (mainly Vaccinium corymbosum L.) blueberries, `Sharpblue' plants were caged with honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and other `Sharpblue' or `Gulfcoast' plants at anthesis. Ratios of pollinizer: fruiting flowers ranged from 2.1 to 4.5. Cross-pollination increased fruit size by ≈14% and seed count by 27% but did not influence fruit set. Overall, seed count decreased by 58% during the 30 days of harvest, but this did not directly affect fruit size. Seed count appeared to influence earliness of ripening as much as it influenced fruit size. Cross-pollination increased the harvest percentage of early-ripening fruits by ≈140% and of premium market fruits (those ≥ 0.75 g) by 13% and decreased the percentage of small fruits by 66%. Consequently, a 43% increase in premium early market crop value (nearly $5000/ha) resulted from optimizing `Sharpblue' cross-pollination.

LEAF AND BUD TEMPERATURES OF SOUTHERN HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRIES (VACCINIUM CORYMBOSUM) INSIDE HIGH TUNNELS

2011 ◽  
pp. 1319-1325
Author(s):  
A.B. Ogden ◽  
J. Kim ◽  
C.A. Radcliffe ◽  
M.W. van Iersel ◽  
L.A. Donovan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
High Tunnels ◽  
Highbush Blueberries ◽  
Southern Highbush

scholarly journals PLANT PARASITIC NEMATODES ASSOCIATED WITH RABBITEYE, SOUTHERN HIGHBUSH AND HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRIES

HortScience ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 264D-264
Author(s):  
John R. Clark ◽  
Robert Robbins
Keyword(s):  
Parasitic Nematode ◽  
Nematode Species ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Parasitic Nematodes ◽  
Small Populations ◽  
Plant Parasitic Nematodes ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
Highbush Blueberries ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Plant Parasitic

Two replicated blueberry plantings, one containing one highbush, (Vaccinium corymbosum) two southern highbush and two rabbiteye (V.ashei) cultivars, and another containing one highbush and three rabbiteye cultivars were sampled in October, 1991 and plant parasitic nematodes extracted and counted. Additionally, 15 commercial rabbiteye plantings were sampled. Standard and southern highbush samples had total plant parasitic nematode levels of 228-451 nematodes/250 ml soil compared to 4-14 nematodes/250 ml soil for rabbiteye. No difference in nematode population was found among the standard highbush ('Bluecrop') and southern highbush ('Cooper', 'Gulfcoast') cultivars. Xiphinema americanum was the most common nematode species found, along with very small populations of Paratrichodorus minor. All commercial plantings had lower nematode levels in samples from the blueberry plants as compared to those from the sod middles between the rows. Nematode levels from commercial plantings ranged from 1477/250ml soil from blueberry plants and 11-1546/250 ml soil from the sod middles. Species found at high levels in the sod samples were usually distinctly different from those found associated with the blueberry plants.

scholarly journals Pollination of ‘Hortblue Petite’ Blueberry: Evidence of Metaxenia in a New Ornamental Home-garden Cultivar

HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (11) ◽  
pp. 1468-1471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley Miller ◽  
Peter Alspach ◽  
Jessica Scalzo ◽  
John Meekings
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Yield Potential ◽  
Home Garden ◽  
Retail Sector ◽  
Berry Weight ◽  
Pollen Donor ◽  
Viable Seeds

‘Hortblue Petite’ (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) is a compact, small-statured tetraploid blueberry that was introduced to the New Zealand retail sector as a garden ornamental in 2005. Pollination requirements for ‘Hortblue Petite’ have not previously been investigated and this study was undertaken to better understand compatibility with other blueberry cultivars. Pollen donor effects on fruit weight were significant; pollen from large fruiting cultivars produced bigger fruit in ‘Hortblue Petite’, adding support toward metaxenia occurring in blueberry. Outcrossing with other tetraploids was most successful in terms of fruit set, berry weight, and yield potential. Number of viable seeds per berry was less with self-pollination and with crosses using pollen from a hexaploid rabbiteye type. The data indicated that the best yields would be obtained from using either open-pollinated flowers or a large-fruited cultivar such as ‘Nui’.

scholarly journals Cold Hardiness and Options for the Freeze Protection of Southern Highbush Blueberry

Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erick D. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Cold Hardiness ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Critical Temperatures ◽  
Overhead Irrigation ◽  
Frost Protection ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Freeze Protection

Southern highbush blueberries (SHB; Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrid) are a low chill species of blueberry that are commercially grown in sub-tropical climates. Due to the nature of SHB, the flowering and fruit set occur in mid-winter to early spring and are susceptible to freeze damage. The most effective use of freeze protection is based on climatic conditions. Identification of advective or radiative freeze, intensity of the freeze event, and the equipment deployed are the key elements for deciding if the crop can be protected and justifying the expense to operate the system. Of the various methods used in frost protection, applying overhead irrigation water is the most promising. During a freeze event, an application of 6.3 mm ha−1 (0.10 in A−1) of water per hour is required to protect blueberries from −2.8 °C (27 °F) temperature with winds from 0 to 16 km h−1 (0 to 10 mph). This is 25.4 kL h−1 ha−1 (2715 gal h−1 A−1) of water. Overhead irrigation freeze protection is dependent on large volumes of water. This paper will review methods of freeze/frost protection, importance of weather patterns, and critical temperatures based on phenology of flowering to fruit set.

POLLEN STORAGE AND FORAGING BY HONEY BEES (HYMENOPTERA: APIDAE) IN HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRIES (ERICACEAE), CULTIVAR BLUECROP

1999 ◽  
Vol 131 (6) ◽  
pp. 757-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margriet H. Dogterom ◽  
Mark L. Winston
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Colony Size ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Pollen Foraging ◽  
Pollen Storage ◽  
Pollen Types ◽  
Average Proportion ◽  
Highbush Blueberries

AbstractWe investigated pollen and nectar foraging of honey bees, Apis mellifera L., from pollen-poor and pollen-rich, small and large colonies in blooming highbush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L. cv. Bluecrop fields. The proportion of pollen foragers differed significantly between pollen-rich and pollen-poor colonies after storage levels were manipulated, but foraging and pollen stores returned to similar levels within a week. No differences were found in small colonies, although the proportion of pollen foragers was high (46% and 45% from pollen-rich and pollen-poor colonies, respectively). Only 7.6% of pollen foragers carried Vaccinium sp. pollen in their loads independent of treatment, day, and colony size, whereas 60.8% of nectar foragers carried up to 100 tetrads of Vaccinium sp. pollen on their bodies. The average proportion of Vaccinium sp. pollen carried by nectar and pollen foragers per day and treatment was less than 10%. Our research indicates that when colonies are placed in fields of blooming blueberry flowers, pollen foraging is stimulated in large colonies with stores that are pollen poor, but predominantly for pollen types other than blueberry. This research indicates that nectar foragers are the major visitor of highbush blueberry cv. Bluecrop and suggests that increasing the number of nectar foragers rather than pollen foragers would result in more honey bees foraging on highbush blueberry, in particular cv. Bluecrop.

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