scholarly journals Photoperiod and Temperature Effects on Growth and Carbohydrate Storage in Southern Highbush Blueberry Interspecific Hybrid

2004 ◽  
Vol 129 (3) ◽  
pp. 294-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy M. Spann ◽  
Jeffrey G. Williamson ◽  
Rebecca L. Darnell
Keyword(s):  
High Temperature ◽  
Interspecific Hybrid ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Carbohydrate Concentration ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Bud Initiation ◽  
Carbohydrate Status

Experiments were conducted with `Misty' southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. interspecific hybrid) to test the effects of high temperature on flower bud initiation and carbohydrate accumulation and partitioning. Plants were grown under inductive short days (SDs = 8 hour photoperiod) or noninductive SDs with night interrupt (SD-NI = 8 hour photoperiod + 1 hour night interrupt), at either 21 or 28 °C for either 4 or 8 weeks. Flower bud initiation occurred only in the inductive SD treatments and was significantly reduced at 28 °C compared with 21 °C. The number of flower buds initiated was not significantly different between 4- and 8-week durations within the inductive SD, 21 °C treatment. However, floral differentiation appeared to be incomplete in the 4-week duration buds and bloom was delayed and reduced. Although plant carbohydrate status was not associated with differences in flower bud initiation between SD and SD-NI treatments, within SD plants, decreased flower bud initiation at high temperature was correlated with decreased whole-plant carbohydrate concentration. These data indicate that flower bud initiation in southern highbush blueberry is a SD/long night phytochrome-mediated response, and plant carbohydrate status plays little, if any, role in regulating initiation under these experimental conditions.

scholarly journals Effects of Flower Bud Density on Vegetative and Reproductive Development and Carbohydrate Relations in Southern Highbush Blueberry

1999 ◽  
Vol 124 (5) ◽  
pp. 532-538 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.E. Maust ◽  
J.G. Williamson ◽  
R.L. Darnell
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Fruit Development ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Delay Reduction ◽  
Canopy Development ◽  
Carbohydrate Concentration ◽  
Southern Highbush

Vegetative budbreak and subsequent canopy development in some southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. interspecific hybrid) cultivars are delayed and/or reduced as flower bud density increases. This delay/reduction in vegetative growth has been correlated with decreased weight and soluble solids of individual fruit. In the present study, the effects of flower bud density (FBD) on vegetative budbreak and canopy development, starch reserves, and whole-canopy net CO2 exchange rate (NCER) were assessed to determine how FBD affected the source supply for fruit development. A range of flower bud densities was established in two cultivars of containerized southern highbush blueberry during dormancy. Vegetative budbreak was delayed and vegetative budbreak, leaf area, and leaf area to fruit ratios decreased as FBD increased. In general, increasing FBD increased the rate of root and cane starch depletion during the first four weeks after bloom. Whole-canopy NCER was similar across the range of FBD during early fruit development, but between four weeks after bloom and fruit ripening, NCER decreased as FBD increased. Although FBD explained only a small proportion of the variability observed in carbohydrate concentration and NCER, the data suggest that both the rapid depletion of starch reserves early in fruit development and the decrease in whole canopy NCER later in fruit development contribute to the detrimental effects of increased FBD on fruit development.

scholarly journals Inflorescence Bud Initiation, Development, and Bloom in Two Southern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars

2015 ◽  
Vol 140 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-44 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alisson P. Kovaleski ◽  
Jeffrey G. Williamson ◽  
James W. Olmstead ◽  
Rebecca L. Darnell
Keyword(s):  
Interspecific Hybrids ◽  
Shoot Growth ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Bud Development ◽  
Late Fall ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Bud Initiation ◽  
The Relationship

Blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) production is increasing worldwide, particularly in subtropical growing regions, but information on timing and extent of inflorescence bud development during summer and fall and effects on bloom the next season are limited. The objectives of this study were to determine time of inflorescence bud initiation, describe internal inflorescence bud development, and determine the relationship between internal inflorescence bud development and bloom period the next spring in two southern highbush blueberry [SHB (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrids)] cultivars. ‘Emerald’ and ‘Jewel’ SHB buds were collected beginning in late summer until shoot growth cessation in late fall for dissection and identification of organ development. Inflorescence bud frequency and number, vegetative and inflorescence bud length and width throughout development, and bloom were also assessed. Inflorescence bud initiation occurred earlier in ‘Emerald’ compared with ‘Jewel’. Five stages of internal inflorescence bud development were defined throughout fall in both cultivars, ranging from a vegetative meristem to early expansion of the inflorescence bud in late fall. ‘Emerald’ inflorescence buds were larger and bloomed earlier, reflecting the earlier inflorescence bud initiation and development. Although inflorescence bud initiation occurred earlier in ‘Emerald’ compared with ‘Jewel’, the pattern of development was not different. Timing of inflorescence bud initiation influenced timing of bloom with earlier initiation resulting in earlier bloom.

scholarly journals Flower Bud Density Affects Vegetative and Fruit Development in Field-grown Southern Highbush Blueberry

HortScience ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 607-610 ◽  
Author(s):  
B.E. Maust ◽  
J.G. Williamson ◽  
R.L. Darnell
Keyword(s):  
Leaf Area ◽  
Fruit Development ◽  
Fruit Size ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Southern Highbush

Floral budbreak and fruit set in many southern highbush blueberry (SHB) cultivars (hybrids of Vaccinium corymbosum L. with other species of Vaccinium) begin prior to vegetative budbreak. Experiments were conducted with two SHB cultivars, `Misty' and `Sharpblue', to test the hypothesis that initial flower bud density (flower buds/m cane length) affects vegetative budbreak and shoot development, which in turn affect fruit development. Flower bud density of field-grown plants was adjusted in two nonconsecutive years by removing none, one-third, or two-thirds of the flower buds during dormancy. Vegetative budbreak, new shoot dry weight, leaf area, and leaf area: fruit ratios decreased with increasing flower bud density in both cultivars. Average fruit fresh weight and fruit soluble solids decreased in both cultivars, and fruit ripening was delayed in `Misty' as leaf area: fruit ratios decreased. This study indicates that because of the inverse relationship between flower bud density and canopy establishment, decreasing the density of flower buds in SHB will increase fruit size and quality and hasten ripening.

scholarly journals Differences in Phenology and Reserve Carbohydrate Concentrations Between Dormant and Nondormant Production Systems in Southern Highbush Blueberry

2001 ◽  
Vol 126 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-393 ◽  
Author(s):  
P.A.W. Swain ◽  
R.L. Darnell
Keyword(s):  
Production Systems ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
N Fertilization ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Vegetative Development ◽  
Average Maximum ◽  
Leaf Retention ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Reserve Carbohydrate

Two cultivars of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. interspecific hybrid), `Sharpblue' and `Wannabe', were container-grown outside in either a dormant or nondormant production system to determine how the two production systems affected carbohydrate (CH2O) status, growth, and development. Plants were maintained in the nondormant condition by continuous N fertilization throughout winter (average maximum/minimum temperatures of 17/5 °C). Plants in the nondormant system retained their foliage longer into the winter compared with plants in the dormant system. Flower bud number, density, fruit number, and total fruit fresh weight (FW) per plant were greater in the nondormant compared with the dormant system plants for both cultivars. Mean fruit FW was greater in dormant compared with nondormant `Wannabe' plants, while in `Sharpblue', mean fruit FW was similar in both systems. Cane and root CH2O concentrations in nondormant system plants were generally similar to or lower than those measured in dormant system plants. Assuming that longer leaf retention in nondormant system plants increased CH2O synthesis compared with dormant system plants, the patterns of reproductive/vegetative development and root/shoot CH2O concentrations indicate that the increased CH2O in nondormant system plants was allocated to increased reproductive growth in lieu of CH2O reserve accumulation. It is probable that this increased CH2O availability, combined with longer perception of short days due to longer leaf retention, were major factors in increasing flower bud initiation and yield in the nondormant compared with the dormant system plants.

Flower bud initiation in southern highbush blueberry cv. O’Neal occurs twice per year in temperate to warm-temperate conditions

2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. 8-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Pescie ◽  
Marcelo Lovisolo ◽  
Alberto De Magistris ◽  
Bernadine Strik ◽  
Cesar Lopez
Keyword(s):  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Bud Initiation ◽  
Warm Temperate

scholarly journals Cold Injury of Southern Blueberries as a Function of Germplasm and Season of Flower Bud Development

HortScience ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 18-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim Patten ◽  
Elizabeth Neuendorff ◽  
Gary Nimr ◽  
John R. Clark ◽  
Gina Fernandez
Keyword(s):  
Frost Damage ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Flower Buds ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Bud Development ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Cold Damage ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Flower Bud Development

The relative tolerance of flower buds and flowers of southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) to cold damage was compared to rabbiteye (Vaccinium ashei Reade) and highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). For similar stages of floral bud development, southern highbush and highbush cultivars had less winter freeze and spring frost damage than rabbiteye cultivars. Cold damage increased linearly with stage of flower bud development. Small fruit were more sensitive to frost damage than open flowers. Rabbiteye blueberry flower buds formed during the fall growth flush were more hardy than buds formed during the spring growth flush, regardless of cultivar or stage of development.

scholarly journals Foliar Applications of GA4+7 Reduce Flowering in Highbush Blueberry

HortScience ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 555-558 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brent L. Black ◽  
Mark K. Ehlenfeldt
Keyword(s):  
Treatment Effect ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Risk Of Infection ◽  
Plant Establishment ◽  
Flower Bud ◽  
Rooted Cuttings ◽  
One Year ◽  
Bud Initiation ◽  
Vegetative Bud

Precocious varieties of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) may overcrop during the first few seasons in the fruiting field, adversely affecting plant establishment. Reducing or preventing bloom in the nursery and during establishment would be beneficial in preventing early cropping and reducing the risk of infection by pollenborne viruses. We investigated the efficacy of foliar applications of GA4+7 for suppressing flower bud initiation in blueberry. One-year-old rooted cuttings of ‘Bluecrop’ were obtained from a commercial nursery and established in 11-L pots at the Philip E. Marucci Blueberry and Cranberry Research Center, Chatsworth, N.J. Three separate experiments were conducted over three seasons with ‘Bluecrop’ (and ‘Duke’ in 2005) highbush blueberry where foliar applications of GA4+7 were made at concentrations ranging from 50 to 400 mg·L−1 a.i., with timing treatments ranging from 7 July to 15 Sept., with 10 replicate plants per treatment. Floral and vegetative buds were counted the following spring. In the first study, the greatest degree of flower bud suppression resulted from applications at 400 mg·L−1 repeated weekly from 7 July to 1 Sept. However, these treatments also reduced total vegetative bud number and plant height. In the two subsequent studies, the largest treatment effect resulted from three weekly applications in late August and early September, where flower bud numbers were suppressed by 70% to 85% for ‘Bluecrop’ and 95% for ‘Duke’ while total vegetative growth was unaffected.

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