scholarly journals Self- and Cross-fertility in Recently Released Highbush Blueberry Cultivars

HortScience ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 133-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark K. Ehlenfeldt

Self- and cross-fertility were evaluated in the highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars Bluegold, Duke, Legacy, Nelson, Sierra, Sunrise, and Toro, all of which have been released since 1985, by comparing them with `Bluecrop' and `Rubel', which were used as standards. Cross-pollination increased fruit set in all cultivars except `Bluecrop', in which set was reduced 13%. The average increase among recently released cultivars was 43%. Cross-pollination also increased fruit weight for all cultivars except `Rubel'. Average increase in fruit weight with cross-pollination of the recently released cultivars was 27%. Fruit set and fruit weight measurements suggest that `Duke', `Legacy', and `Nelson' would perform satisfactorily in solid stands, and that `Sierra' and `Toro' probably need cross-pollination for maximum yields.

HortScience ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 458B-458
Author(s):  
Mark K. Ehlenfeldt

Self- and cross-fertility was evaluated in the highbush blueberry cultivars Bluegold, Duke, Legacy, Nelson, Sierra, Sunrise, and Toro, all released since 1987, by comparing them to standards of `Bluecrop' and `Rubel'. Percent fruit set increased with cross-pollination in all cultivars except `Bluecrop', which decreased by 13%. The average increase in the recently released cultivars was 43%. Fruit weight also increased in cross-pollinations for all cultivars except `Rubel', which showed a decrease of 2%. Average increase in fruit weight on cross-pollination in the recently released cultivars was 27%. Fruit set and fruit weight measurements suggest that `Duke', `Legacy', and `Nelson' could perform well in solid stands, but `Sierra' and `Toro' are more likely to need cross-pollination for best yields. Investigations were also made on a group of 10 cultivars, to evaluate whether ripening time of the pollen source cultivar had any effect on the ripening time of the fruiting parent. No single pollen source had consistent general effects on ripening, although specific combinations of females and males appeared to either hasten or delay ripening. The largest deviations were seen in delays of ripening, suggesting that poor pollination may have been the greatest factor contributing to the observed variation in ripening times.


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah K. Taber ◽  
James W. Olmstead

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.


1997 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 267-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akira Suzuki ◽  
Toru Kikuchi ◽  
Koji Aoba

1994 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-158 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Weiss ◽  
A. Nerd ◽  
Y. Mizrahi

The flowering and pollination requirements of Cereus peruvianus (L) Mill. (Cactaceae) were investigated in Beer Sheva, Israel, in a three-year-old plantation which had been established from seedlings, in order to domesticate this plant as a fruit crop. Plants flowered during the hot season (May-October), and flowers opened for one night only. Variations were observed in the flowers' opening time, with the early-opening plants beginning to open two hours before sunset, and the late-opening plants opening close to sunset. Flowers were visited only by day-active insects: the honey bee (Apis mellifera) and the carpenter bee (Xylocopa pubescens). The visitors' behavior indicated that they were involved in pollination. Early-opening flowers were visited both in the evening and in the morning, whereas late-openers were visited only in the morning. C. peruvianus was found to be self-incompatible, and fruit set did not occur when flowers were hand self-pollinated. Hand cross-pollination resulted in very high fruit set (92%) and heavy fruits with a high seed number. Fruit set, seed number, and fruit weight were lower in open-pollination than in hand cross-pollination. This indicates limited pollination or fertilization in open- pollination and might be related to the briefness of the bee visits, reduced pollen germinability, and stigma receptivity during part of the visit period.


HortScience ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 46 (11) ◽  
pp. 1468-1471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shirley Miller ◽  
Peter Alspach ◽  
Jessica Scalzo ◽  
John Meekings

‘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’.


2017 ◽  
Vol 62 (4) ◽  
pp. 329-339
Author(s):  
Jasminka Milivojevic ◽  
Dragan Radivojevic ◽  
Mirjana Ruml ◽  
Suzana Urosevic ◽  
Jelena Dragisic-Maksimovic

The main focus of our study was to investigate effects of the modified microclimate under a grey hail protection net (HPN) on biometrical fruit characteristics (fruit weight, index of fruit shape, and seed number per fruit) and nutritional value (soluble solid content - SSC, titratable acidity - TA, total anthocyanins - TACY, total phenolics - TPH and total antioxidant capacity - TAC) of the ?Bluecrop? highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). The study was conducted in the ?Bluecrop? highbush blueberry plantation located in Mladenovac (Serbia) during two consecutive years (2013, 2014). The orchard was established using two-year-old nursery trees in spring 2011, at a planting density of 3,300 bushes per ha. The grey polyethylene net (SILVERLUX?, Helios Group, Lurano, Italy) with a Leno wave structure and a mesh size of 2.8 x 8 mm was used. During the research period, light intensity was measured weekly at 12.00 hr using a digital lux-meter ?Peak teck? PT-5025 (Germany). Air temperature and relative humidity within the canopy were recorded using climate dataloggers (type DT-171, Shenzhen Flus Technology Co., Ltd, China) both under HPN and in the open field (OF). Twelve readings per treatment were taken at 2-hour intervals every day in each season. In both years of observation, light was reduced by 5-20% under HPN, whereby daily maximum temperature was 2.4?C lower causing 4% higher daily minimum relative air humidity than in OF. ?Bluecrop? had significantly higher average fruit weights under HPN ranging from 1.93 g (2013) to 1.86 g (2014) in comparison to those observed in OF. The SSC did not differ between the treatments in 2014, whereas a significantly higher mean value was registered in the fruits harvested under HPN (12.8%) compared to those from OF in 2013. The mean TA was higher under HPN in 2014 (0.57%), whereas in 2013 a significantly higher TA content was found in OF (0.87%). HPN showed a positive effect on the TPH content (7.12 mg GA/g FW), but an almost 2-fold higher value was registered in 2013. Similar to this, TAC was 2.5-fold higher in 2013, without a significant effect of HPN in both experimental years.


1997 ◽  
Vol 122 (6) ◽  
pp. 891-896 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenna E. MacKenzie

The effects of pollination treatments on fruit set and five berry characteristics [mass, diameter, number of apparently viable seeds (well-developed, plump with dark seed coat), total seed number (includes apparently viable and partially developed seeds), and harvest date] were examined on three highbush blueberry cultivars. Pollination treatments included unpollinated, open pollinated, emasculated, and three hand pollinations that used pollen from the same flower, from the same cultivar, or from a different cultivar. Berries matured earliest and were smallest with the most apparently viable seeds in `Northland', `Patriot' had the greatest fruit set and smallest seed number, and `Bluecrop' matured the latest. Fruit set was greater, berry size larger, seed number smaller, and maturation later in 1990 than 1991. For all three cultivars, berries were generally smallest, latest maturing, and had the fewest seeds when pollination was prevented and were largest with the most seeds and earliest maturing in open visitation. Emasculation resulted in berries similar to those from unpollinated flowers. For berry characteristics, cross-pollination was of benefit for `Patriot' and possibly `Northland' but not `Bluecrop'. Thus, commercial highbush blueberry planting designs must be based on the pollination requirements of the particular cultivar. `Northland' berries almost always had seeds, while `Patriot' showed high levels and `Bluecrop' low levels of parthenocarpy.


HortScience ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 1612-1615 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey G. Williamson ◽  
D. Scott NeSmith

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.


HortScience ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (12) ◽  
pp. 1487-1492 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Weiss ◽  
Avinoam Nerd ◽  
Yosef Mizrahi

The reproductive biology of the climbing cacti Hylocereus polyrhizus (Weber) Britt. & Rose, H. undatus (Haworth) Britt. & Rose, H. costaricensis (Weber) Britt. & Rose, and Selenicereus megalanthus (Schum. ex Vaupel) Moran (syn. Mediocactus megalanthus) was studied with the aim of cultivating the cacti in Israel as fruit crops. Flowering in Hylocereus spp. occurred in two to three waves during the summer, whereas in S. megalanthus, flowering was concentrated at the end of autumn. Flowers of all species opened 1 to 1.5 hours before sunset and closed ≈6 hours after sunrise. In the Hylocereus spp., H. polyrhizus and H. costaricensis were self-unfruitful, and cross-pollination with other species led to high fruit set (100%). Hylocereus undatus was self-fruitful, setting fruit with self-pollen. Cross-pollination between the clones of S. megalanthus led to a high fruit set and each clone was self-fruitful. In contrast to H. undatus, S. megalanthus clones could set fruit without pollen vector involvement, although the set was slightly lower than with hand pollination. Pollen source influenced fruit weight. In the self-fruitful species of Hylocereus, fruit obtained by hand cross-pollination with other Hylocereus spp. were significantly heavier than fruit obtained by hand self-pollination. The largest fruit in each of the Hylocereus spp. were obtained by specific cross-combinations within the group. Fruit of S. megalanthus had a lower weight than fruit of the Hylocereus spp. Flowers of all species were visited by day-active honeybees only. Fruit set and fruit weight with open pollination was lower than with hand pollination in Hylocereus spp. Since stigma receptivity and pollen germinability stayed high during anthesis, the low pollination effectivity has to be related to other factors, such as the short bee visits and the absence of specific adaptation by the bees to the flower. In S. megalanthus, fruit set and fruit weight with open pollination were similar to values obtained with hand pollination. This similarity is probably related to the fact that pollen transfer in open pollination is achieved by bee visits and direct transfer of pollen to the stigma, which occurs via physical contact between anthers and stigma during flower closing.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document