Repeated applications of CPPU on highbush blueberry cv. Duke increase yield and enhance fruit quality at harvest and during postharvest

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.

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Pre-Harvest MeJA Application Counteracts the Deleterious Impact of Al and Mn Toxicity in Highbush Blueberry Grown in Acid Soils

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants10122730 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 2730

Author(s):

Jorge González-Villagra ◽

Rocio Pino ◽

Claudio Inostroza-Blancheteau ◽

Paula Cartes ◽

Alejandra Ribera-Fonseca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Growth Rate ◽

Fruit Quality ◽

Abiotic Stress Tolerance ◽

Antioxidant Properties ◽

Acid Soils ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Photosynthetic Parameters ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Mn Toxicity

Volcanic ash-derived soils are characterized by low pH (pH ≤ 5.5) with increased concentrations of aluminum (Al3+) and manganese (Mn2+), which decreases plant growth, fruit quality, and yield. Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) improves abiotic stress tolerance. Our work aimed to evaluate the application of MeJA’s impact on the growth, antioxidant defense, and fruit quality of highbush blueberry grown under Al and Mn toxicity. A field assay was conducted with four-year-old bushes of highbush blueberry cultivar Legacy under eight treatments (Control, Al (87% of Al saturation), Mn (240 mg kg−1), and Al–Mn with and without MeJA application). Physiological, biochemical, and fruit quality parameters were measured. Growth rate significantly decreased with Al (20%), Mn (45%), and Al–Mn (40%). MeJA application recovered the growth rate. Photosynthetic parameters were not affected. Antioxidant activity increased under all treatments compared with controls, being higher with MeJA application. Total phenols (TP) were decreased in plants under Al (43%) and Mn (20%) compared with controls. MeJA application increased TP in all treatments. Fruits of bushes under Al and Mn toxicity with MeJA applications exhibited an increase in fruit firmness and weight, maintaining suitable contents of soluble solids. Our results provide insights about the beneficial effect of MeJA application on growth, antioxidant properties, and fruit quality of highbush blueberry plants grown in acid soils under Al and Mn toxicity.

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Fertility and Other Characteristics of F1 and Backcross1 Progeny from an Intersectional Blueberry Cross [(highbush cultivar × Vaccinium arboreum) × highbush cultivar]

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.48.2.146 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 146-149 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Paul M. Lyrene

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Morphological Traits ◽

High Variability ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

High Fertility ◽

Berry Size ◽

Large Numbers ◽

Berry Quality ◽

Plant Characteristics

Fertility and morphological traits were studied in the F1 and BC1 generations of intersectional crosses between tetraploid highbush blueberry cultivars (Vaccinium section Cyanococcus) and colchicine-induced tetraploid V. arboreum (Vaccinium section Batodendron). The goal of the introgression project was to combine desirable plant characteristics from V. arboreum with the large fruit and high fruit quality of highbush cultivars. Highbush × V. arboreum crosses were hard to make, but large numbers of BC1 seedlings were easily obtained using the most fertile F1 plants as parents in backcrosses to highbush. Anther awns, a character from V. arboreum, were present in all F1 seedlings, but fruit sclerids, another V. arboreum trait, were absent in most seedlings. Berry size in the BC1 generation was twice as large as in the F1 generation and was twice as large in the F1 as in V. arboreum. The BC1 generation was extremely variable in vigor and berry quality. Although berries of most BC1 plants were smaller, darker, and less desirable in texture and flavor than highbush berries, the high fertility of BC1 plants and the high variability among plants indicate that useful clones could be selected or developed by further breeding.

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

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech04238-19 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (3) ◽

pp. 314-319 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

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.

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Optimizing Nitrogen Fertigation Rates for Young Southern Highbush Blueberry

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy10030389 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (3) ◽

pp. 389

Author(s):

Yang Fang ◽

Jeffrey Williamson ◽

Rebecca Darnell ◽

Yuncong Li ◽

Guodong Liu

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Ground Cover ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Nutrient Concentrations ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Soil Nitrate ◽

Southern Highbush ◽

N Rates

The commercial blueberry industry in Florida has expanded significantly in both acreage and value in the past several years. The southern highbush blueberry (SHB, Vaccinium corymbosum L. interspecific hybrid) is the major blueberry type grown in Florida. The nitrogen (N) demand of young SHB differs from the northern highbush blueberry (NHB, V. corymbosum L.) and from mature blueberry plants. The objective of this study was to optimize fertigated N rates for the growth and yield of young SHB plants. One-year-old ‘Emerald’ and ‘Farthing’ plants were fertilized with 32N-0P-0K through drip irrigation at annual rates of 0, 42, 84, 168, and 336 kg N ha−1. Soil nitrate levels at multiple depths were measured along with leaf nutrient concentration, percent canopy ground cover, fruit yield and fruit quality. The results indicated that N rates had no significant effect on leaf nutrient concentrations. Greater N rates advanced bloom and harvest, increased percentage of ground cover (an indicator of canopy size), fruit yield and berry numbers per plant, but decreased mean berry diameter and weight. The soil nitrate results from both ‘Emerald’ and ‘Farthing’ revealed that the 336 kg N ha−1 treatment had a significantly greater risk for nitrate leaching than the lower N treatments in spring. The effect of N rates on fruit quality varied with cultivar and harvest season. The linear plateau regression of fruit yield and N rates indicated that the maximum yield reached at the annual N fertigation rate of 222 kg ha−1 for ‘Emerald’ and 206 kg ha−1 for ‘Farthing’.

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

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci11533-16 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (4) ◽

pp. 625-633 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

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.

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EFFECTS OF CA FOLIAR FERTILIZERS ON FRUIT QUALITY OF HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY

Acta Horticulturae ◽

10.17660/actahortic.2009.810.93 ◽

2009 ◽

pp. 705-708

Author(s):

D. Koron ◽

K. Šturm ◽

S. Pavlin

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Highbush Blueberry

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Preharvest long-term exposure to UV-B radiation promotes fruit ripening and modifies stage-specific anthocyanin metabolism in highbush blueberry

Horticulture Research ◽

10.1038/s41438-021-00503-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Taishan Li ◽

Hisayo Yamane ◽

Ryutaro Tao

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Fruit Ripening ◽

Anthocyanin Biosynthesis ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

Fruit Growth ◽

Luciferase Assay ◽

Anthocyanin Synthesis ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Long Term Treatment

AbstractUltraviolet-B (UV-B) light (280–315 nm) is an important environmental signal that regulates plant development and photomorphogenesis, while also affecting the flavonoid pathway, including anthocyanin biosynthesis. Regarding the effects of UV-B radiation on fruits, the effects of a short-term or postharvest irradiation on fruit quality have been well-documented, but the effects of a long-term preharvest UV-B irradiation on fruit growth and coloration remain unclear. Thus, in this study, we investigated the effects of a long-term treatment involving an environmentally relevant UV-B dose on highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) fruit. The preharvest UV-B treatment quickly promoted fruit growth and sugar accumulation, which is not commonly observed in other fruit tree species. The UV-B exposure also accelerated fruit ripening and coloration. The dual-luciferase assay proved that in blueberries, expression of VcUFGT encoding anthocyanin biosynthesis key enzyme, is positively and negatively regulated by VcMYBA1 and VcMYBC2, respectively. Throughout the fruit development stage, the UV-B treatment up-regulated VcMYBPA1 expression, which increased VcUFGT expression via VcMYBA1. In the green fruit stage, the UV-B treatment increased HY5 encoding UV receptor, which up-regulates VcMYBPA1 and down-regulates VcMYBC2, thereby promotes the accumulation of anthocyanins. On the other hand, excessive anthocyanin synthesis was inhibited by increased VcMYBC2 levels in mature fruits when exposed to UV-B light through HY5-independent pathway. In conclusion, anthocyanin-related MYB activators and repressor may coordinately balance the accumulation of anthocyanins in blueberry fruits, with UV-B treatments possibly influencing their effects in a stage-specific manner. The potential utility of preharvest UV-B treatments for improving blueberry fruit quality is discussed herein.

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