scholarly journals Effects of Machine-Harvest Interval on Fruit Quality of Fresh Market Northern Highbush Blueberry

Horticulturae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (8) ◽  
pp. 245
Author(s):  
Yixin Cai ◽  
Fumiomi Takeda ◽  
Brian Foote ◽  
Lisa Wasko DeVetter
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Harvest Intervals ◽  
Northern Highbush Blueberry

Machine harvesting blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) alleviates labor costs and shortages but can reduce fruit quality. Installation of softer catching surfaces inside modified over-the-row harvesters (modified OTR) and adjusting harvest intervals may improve fruit quality and packout. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of harvest interval on fruit quality of fresh market northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) harvested using a modified OTR. ‘Liberty’ blueberry bushes were harvested by hand or using a modified OTR at 3-, 10-, and 14-day intervals in 2019 and at 7-, 11-, and 14-day intervals in 2020. Hand-harvested ‘Liberty’ had greater packout and firmness than machine-harvested fruit. Machine harvesting at the 3-day interval in 2019, and the 14-day interval in 2020 reduced packout from 70–80% to 60% and 54%, respectively. In 2019, machine harvesting at a 3-day interval overall resulted in fruit with greater firmness, higher titratable acidity (TA), and lower total soluble solids (TSS) and SS/TA, compared to other harvest intervals. In 2020, the 7-day machine-harvest interval had a greater TA and lower TSS/TA, compared to the 11- and 14-day intervals. Overall, modified OTR machine-harvest intervals can be extended to 10–11 days for fresh market northern highbush cultivars such as ‘Liberty’ grown in northwest Washington.

scholarly journals Comparing the Efficacy of Postharvest Cooling Methods to Enhance Fruit Quality and Reduce Salmonella in Artificially Inoculated Southern Highbush Blueberry

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 314-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaysankar De ◽  
Aswathy Sreedharan ◽  
You Li ◽  
Alan Gutierrez ◽  
Jeffrey K. Brecht ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Shelf Life ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Microbiological Quality ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Temperature Management ◽  
Air Cooling ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Southern Highbush

Cooling procedures used by blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) growers often may include delays up to 24 hours that can damage the fruit through rough handling and adverse temperatures, thereby potentially compromising quality and, subsequently, safety. The objectives of this experiment were to compare forced-air cooling (FAC) compared to hydrocooling without sanitizer (HW) and hydrocooling with sanitizer (HS) regarding the quality and shelf life of southern highbush blueberry [SHB (Vaccinium corymbosum)] and to determine the efficacy of these treatments for reducing Salmonella in SHB. Freshly harvested SHB that were inoculated with a five-serovar cocktail of rifampin-resistant Salmonella were rapidly chilled by FAC or hydrocooling (HW and HS) using a laboratory model system. FAC did not show any significant reduction (P > 0.05) in Salmonella or in the effects on the microbiological quality of blueberries. HW and HS reduced Salmonella by ≈2 and >4 log cfu/g SHB, respectively, on day 0. These postharvest treatments were also evaluated for their ability to help maintain fruit quality throughout a storage period of 21 days at 1 °C. Hydrocooling (both HS and HW) provided more rapid cooling than FAC. Hydrocooled blueberries showed significant weight gain (P < 0.05), whereas FAC resulted in a slight, but insignificant (P > 0.05), reduction in final weight. The results of hydrocooling, both HS and HW, shown in this study could help to extend the shelf life while maintaining or increasing the microbiological quality of fresh market blueberries. Information obtained by this study can be used for developing the best temperature management practices to maintain the postharvest safety and quality of blueberries.

scholarly journals Foliar Calcium Applications Do Not Improve Quality or Shelf Life of Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, or Blueberry Fruit

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 382-387 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Vance ◽  
Patrick Jones ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik
Keyword(s):  
Shelf Life ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Rubus Idaeus ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Off Flavors ◽  
Good Coverage ◽  
Early Harvest

Foliar calcium (Ca) products are applied by many berry growers to enhance fruit quality and shelf life without evidence that these applications increase fruit Ca or impact fruit characteristics when applied at rates recommended on the product label. The objectives of this study were to determine if fruit or leaf Ca increases when several formulations of liquid Ca products are applied to developing fruit, and to assess any resulting changes in fresh market quality of berries. Products were applied in strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa L., ‘Hood’ and ‘Albion’), raspberry (Rubus idaeus L., ‘Tulameen’ and ‘Vintage’), blackberry (Rubus L. subgenus Rubus, Watson, ‘Obsidian’ and ‘Triple Crown’), and blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L., ‘Spartan’, ‘Liberty’, ‘Draper’, and ‘Legacy’). Calcium formulations tested were Ca chloride (CaCl2), CaCl2 + boron, Ca silicate, Ca chelate, and Ca acetate, which were compared with a water-only control. The rates used for each product were within ranges specified on the label and supplied equal amounts of Ca per ha for each treatment; the Ca concentration varied from 0.05% to 0.3% depending on the cultivar and the volume of water required for good coverage. All products were applied with a backpack sprayer, except in a separate trial where a backpack and electrostatic sprayer were compared in ‘Draper’ and ‘Legacy’. Treatment applications were started at the early green fruit stage and were repeated three or four times, depending on duration of berry development and cultivar. Fruit were harvested into commercial clamshells 4 days to ≈4 weeks after the final application of Ca from an early harvest at commercial ripeness. Data collected included berry weight, rating of fruit appearance and flavor, firmness, skin toughness, total soluble solids (TSS), and weight loss and nesting (collapse of fruit) during storage (evaluated at ≈5-, 10-, 15-, and 20-days postharvest). Fruit and leaves were sampled at harvest to determine Ca concentration. There was no evidence of spotting or off-flavors due to Ca applications. Compared with the control, none of the Ca treatments or method of application changed leaf or fruit Ca concentration, fruit quality, firmness, or shelf life in any crop or cultivar tested.

scholarly journals Potential of Deficit Irrigation, Irrigation Cutoffs, and Crop Thinning to Maintain Yield and Fruit Quality with Less Water in Northern Highbush Blueberry

HortScience ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
pp. 625-633 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalid F. Almutairi ◽  
David R. Bryla ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Deficit Irrigation ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Stem Water Potential ◽  
Full Irrigation ◽  
Northern Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Stem Water

Drought and mandatory water restrictions are limiting the availability of irrigation water in many important blueberry growing regions, such as Oregon, Washington, and California. New strategies are needed to maintain yield and fruit quality with less water. To address the issue, three potential options for reducing water use, including deficit irrigation, irrigation cutoffs, and crop thinning, were evaluated for 2 years in a mature planting of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Elliott’). Treatments consisted of no thinning and 50% crop removal in combination with either full irrigation at 100% of estimated crop evapotranspiration (ETc), deficit irrigation at 50% ETc (applied for the entire growing season), or full irrigation with irrigation cutoff for 4–6 weeks during early (early- to late-green fruit) or late (fruit coloring to harvest) stages of fruit development. Stem water potential was similar with full and deficit irrigation but, regardless of crop thinning, declined by 0.5–0.6 MPa when irrigation was cutoff early and by >2.0 MPa when irrigation was cutoff late. In one or both years, the fruiting season was advanced with either deficit irrigation or late cutoff, whereas cutting off irrigation early delayed the season. Yield was unaffected by deficit irrigation in plants with a full crop load but was reduced by an average of 35% when irrigation was cutoff late each year. Cutting off irrigation early likewise reduced yield, but only in the 2nd year when the plants were not thinned; however, early cutoff also reduced fruit soluble solids and berry weight by 7% to 24% compared with full irrigation. Cutting off irrigation late produced the smallest and firmest fruit with the highest soluble solids and total acidity among the treatments, as well as the slowest rate of fruit loss in cold storage. Deficit irrigation had the least effect on fruit quality and, based on these results, appears to be the most viable option for maintaining yield with less water in northern highbush blueberry. Relative to full irrigation, the practice reduced water use by 2.5 ML·ha−1 per season.

scholarly journals New Foliar-applied Biofilm Had No Impact on Splitting or Fruit Quality in ‘Elliott’ and ‘Legacy’ Blueberry in Oregon

2018 ◽  
Vol 28 (6) ◽  
pp. 836-842
Author(s):  
Amanda J. Vance ◽  
Bernadine C. Strik
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Color Change ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Sprinkler System ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Visual Rating ◽  
Berry Size ◽  
Current Product

Fresh market blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) sales require high-quality, firm fruit with no significant defects. A new phospholipid biofilm product was developed to reduce splitting and increase firmness when applied directly to blueberry fruit. Two trials were undertaken to test the effects of the biofilm using various application timings and methods. In highbush blueberry cultivar Elliott (Vaccinium corymbosum), four treatments included: 1) rate and timing on the current product label (5- to 10-mm berry size, 10% to 20% color change, and between the first and second harvests), 2) addition of a preharvest timing (5- to 10-mm berry size, 10% to 20% color change, and 7 to 10 days preharvest); 3) starting applications later (10% to 20% color change, 7 to 10 days preharvest, and between the first and second harvests), and 4) a water-sprayed control. Biofilm was applied at a rate of 2 qt/acre for all applications. In highbush blueberry cultivar Legacy (Vaccinium corymbosum × Vaccinium sp.), the same volume of biofilm was applied via an airblast sprayer or through an overhead sprinkler system typically used for chemigation and compared with a water-sprayed control. Data collected included yield (in ‘Elliott’), berry weight, firmness, skin toughness, total soluble solids (TSS), weight loss during storage, percent splitting (in ‘Legacy’), and a visual rating, evaluated on the day of harvest and about 14 and 28 days postharvest. There were no visual defects caused by application of biofilm. Compared with the controls in either study, biofilm had no consistent impact on fruit quality, firmness, shelf life, yield in ‘Elliott’, or splitting in ‘Legacy’.

scholarly journals Individual and Combined Use of Sawdust and Weed Mat Mulch in a New Planting of Northern Highbush Blueberry. III. Yield, Fruit Quality, and Costs

HortScience ◽  
2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Bernadine C. Strik ◽  
Amanda J. Davis
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Growing Seasons ◽  
Combined Use ◽  
Net Profit ◽  
Northern Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Effect On Yield ◽  
Cost Of Materials

A 4-year trial was established in Oct. 2016 in western Oregon to evaluate the effects of various in-row mulch treatments on yield, fruit quality, and costs of installation and maintenance during establishment of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Duke’). The treatments included douglas fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] sawdust, black weed mat (woven polypropylene groundcover), green weed mat, and sawdust covered with black or green weed mat. Fruit were harvested during 2018–20 (second through fourth growing seasons). Weed mat color had no effect on yield or fruit quality. In 2018, yield was higher with black weed mat over sawdust mulch than with black weed mat alone, whereas mulch had no effects during 2019 and 2020, or on cumulative yield. Percent total soluble solids in the berries was highest with sawdust and weed mat alone compared with weed mat over sawdust mulches, whereas berry weight, diameter, and firmness were unaffected by mulch. Sawdust was the most expensive mulch over the lifespan of the planting because it required replenishment after 2 years. Black weed mat over sawdust resulted in the highest net profit when fruit sales and cost of materials and labor were considered.

scholarly journals Postharvest Quality of Mechanically and Hand-harvested, Southern Highbush Blueberry Fruit for Fresh Market

2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 437-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven A. Sargent ◽  
Adrian D. Berry ◽  
Jeffrey G. Williamson ◽  
James W. Olmstead
Keyword(s):  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Postharvest Quality ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Highbush Blueberry ◽  
Fresh Market ◽  
Highbush Blueberries ◽  
Southern Highbush ◽  
Solids Content

Three southern highbush blueberry cultivars (Vaccinium corymbosum hybrids) were mechanically harvested (MH) or hand-harvested (HH) and commercially packed before storage for 14 days at 1 °C in two successive years. MH fruit were softer, had lower ratings for overall appearance, and lost up to 20% more fresh weight than HH fruit after 14 days storage. MH ‘Meadowlark’ had fewer soft fruit (<35%) during storage than either ‘Sweetcrisp’ or ‘Farthing’; however, the latter two cultivars had lower incidences of shrivel and weight loss. Fruit in the 2010 season were more susceptible to bruising than those from the 2009 season; however, soluble solids content (SSC), total titratable acidity (TTA), and ascorbic acid concentration remained constant during storage and between seasons. ‘Meadowlark’ had the highest sugar to acid ratio (25.0). Successful implementation of MH of southern highbush blueberries for fresh market will only be commercially feasible if harvest impacts are further reduced.

scholarly journals Fruit quality of ‘Eva’ e ‘Princesa’ apples grown under nitrogen fertigation in semiarid climate

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (10) ◽  
pp. 967-972 ◽  
Author(s):  
João M. de S. Miranda ◽  
Ítalo H. L. Cavalcante ◽  
Inez V. de M. Oliveira ◽  
Paulo R. C. Lopes ◽  
Joston S. de Assis
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Skin Color ◽  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Economic Viability ◽  
Fruit Firmness ◽  
Fruit Characteristics ◽  
Apple Cultivars ◽  
Fruit Mass

ABSTRACTThe production of high quality fruits is a necessary factor for the adaptation and production of plant species with economic viability. Thus, an experiment was conducted from July 2012 to January 2013 to evaluate the fruit quality of the ‘Eva’ and ‘Princesa’ apple cultivars as a function of nitrogen fertilization in Petrolina, PE, Brazil. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks, with treatments distributed in a factorial arrangement 2 x 4, corresponding to apple cultivars (Eva and Princesa) and nitrogen doses (40; 80; 120 and 160 kg of N ha-1), with four replications and three plants in each plot. The fruit characteristics, such as fruit mass, skin color (luminosity, chromaticity, and colour angle), size (width and length), pulp firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids (SS) and the SS/TA ratio, were recorded. Nitrogen doses do not affect fruit quality of studied apple cultivars. The fruit quality attributes are different between apple cultivars: fruit firmness, SS/TA ratio, fruit mass and fruit diameter are superior for Princesa cultivar, while the fruit length for Eva cultivar is superior.

scholarly journals The Effect of Salinity on Fruit Quality and Yield of Cherry Tomatoes

Horticulturae ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 59
Author(s):  
Carlos Agius ◽  
Sabine von Tucher ◽  
Wilfried Rozhon
Keyword(s):  
Sodium Chloride ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
Sodium Content ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Glucose Levels ◽  
High Concentrations ◽  
Cherry Tomatoes

Hydroponic cultivation of vegetables avoids problems with soil-borne plant pathogens and may allow higher yield. In arid climates and particularly on islands, high concentrations of sodium chloride can be present in the groundwater. For instance, in many sites of Malta, the groundwater contains more than 10 mM sodium chloride. Here we investigated the effects of sodium chloride at levels typically found in Malta on yield, physiology and fruit quality of tomato, the economically most important vegetable. We selected cherry tomatoes since their production is attractive due to their high marketing value. While the yield declined at higher salinity levels tested (17 and 34 mM), the quality increased significantly as indicated by higher total soluble solids and fructose and glucose levels. The type of substrate—coco peat, perlite or Rockwool—had only minor effects. Although the concentration of citric acid and malic acid remained unaffected, the pH dropped by approximately 0.1 unit and the titratable acidity increased slightly. This might be explained by a high uptake of chloride but a lower increase of the sodium content and a reduced potassium level in the fruits, shifting the equilibrium of the organic acids more to their protonated forms. Proline increased significantly, while the level of glutamic acid, which is crucial for the taste, remained unchanged. Our results show that cherry tomatoes can be cultivated in nutrient solutions prepared with salt-containing groundwater, as found in Malta. The yield declined to some extent but the quality of the produced fruits was higher compared to cultivation in salt-free media.

scholarly journals FOLIAR APPLICATIONS OF ZINC, IRON AND MANGANESE INFLUENCE THE PLANT GROWTH AND FRUIT QUALITY OF PAPAYA CV. RED LADY

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 551-557
Author(s):  
Gurjot Singh Pelia ◽  
◽  
A K Baswal ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Foliar Application ◽  
Ascorbic Acid Content ◽  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Total Carotenoids ◽  
Heavy Soil

Prevalence of heavy soil is a major problem for fruit cultivation under Punjab conditions consequently leading to deficiency of several micro-nutrients including zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), and manganese (Mn) which adversely affects the growth and productivity. In this view, a study was planned to investigate the effect of foliar applications of zinc sulphate (ZnSO4), iron sulphate (FeSO4), and manganese sulphate (MnSO4) on vegetative growth, reproductive growth and fruit quality of papaya cv. Red lady. Plants sprayed with ZnSO4 (0.4 %) exhibited significantly highest plant height, plant girth, number of leaves, petiole length; initiated an earliest flowering and fruiting; and improved fruit quality viz., fruit weight, fruit length, titratable acidity, soluble solids concentrations, ascorbic acid content, total phenols content, and total carotenoids content as compared with the control and all other treatments. In conclusion, foliar application ZnSO4 (0.4 %) significantly improved plant growth and fruit quality in papaya cv. Red lady.

scholarly journals Productivity, quality of fruits and architecture of Jalapeño pepper at different planting densities

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-337
Author(s):  
Carlos Francisco Ragassi ◽  
Juliana Zucolotto ◽  
Lucas M Gomes ◽  
Cláudia SC Ribeiro ◽  
Nuno Rodrigo Madeira ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Plant Architecture ◽  
Block Design ◽  
Titratable Acidity ◽  
Soluble Solids ◽  
Randomized Complete Block Design ◽  
Total Titratable Acidity ◽  
Second Year ◽  
Increase In Productivity

ABSTRACT Mechanizing the harvest of Jalapeño pepper involves changes in the production system. Spacings between plants in rows (10 to 40 cm; 60 cm fixed between rows) were evaluated in relation to plant architecture, productivity and fruit quality of cultivar BRS Sarakura during three years, in a randomized complete block design with five replicates. Productivity (41.9 to 78.8 t ha-1) and plant height (40.1 to 47.3 cm) responded linearly to density; on the other hand, productivity per plant responded negatively (0.48 to 1.04 kg plant-1). The stem first bifurcation height was little influenced. Fruit chemical analyses were carried out in the second year of the experiment; spacing significantly influenced pH (5.36 to 4.84), total titratable acidity (TTA) (0.48 to 0.36%) and total soluble solids (TSS)/TTA ratio (11.5 to 15.6); no influence on TSS (5.65%) was noticed, though. The increase of plant population provided an increase in productivity without affecting fruit quality; the highest height of the first bifurcation achieved may not be enough to enable mechanized harvesting of the cultivar BRS Sarakura.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document