Articles
Challenges and strategies breeding for firmness, resistance to bruising, and reduced splitting tendency in blueberry in British Columbia
Article number
1357_21
Pages
145 – 150
Language
English
Abstract
The blueberry breeding program in BC has identified machine-harvestability for the fresh market as one of its primary goals, and resistance to rain-induced splitting as another high priority.
To determine the feasibility of these goals, we studied heritability of susceptibility to rain-induced splitting and examined correlations between splitting tendency and firmness, as well as firmness and susceptibility of fruit to bruising.
We have found that in the BC germplasm, splitting tendency had a moderately high narrow-sense heritability (0.61) over a three-year period, indicating the ability to make good gain from selection.
Firmness and splitting tendency were not correlated, indicating that selection for firmer fruit can occur concurrently with selection for reduced splitting with little negative impact.
Bruising and firmness were strongly correlated for softer berries, but as the firmness of berries increased through selection, this correlation disappeared.
While it is relatively easy to select for firmness in the field, this means that selecting for berries that are less likely to bruise while being mechanically-harvested will require additional steps.
We attribute the lack of correlation between firmness and bruising to different mechanisms imparting firmness on the berry that differentially impact bruising of tissues, which are not easily discerned using our current methodologies.
To determine the feasibility of these goals, we studied heritability of susceptibility to rain-induced splitting and examined correlations between splitting tendency and firmness, as well as firmness and susceptibility of fruit to bruising.
We have found that in the BC germplasm, splitting tendency had a moderately high narrow-sense heritability (0.61) over a three-year period, indicating the ability to make good gain from selection.
Firmness and splitting tendency were not correlated, indicating that selection for firmer fruit can occur concurrently with selection for reduced splitting with little negative impact.
Bruising and firmness were strongly correlated for softer berries, but as the firmness of berries increased through selection, this correlation disappeared.
While it is relatively easy to select for firmness in the field, this means that selecting for berries that are less likely to bruise while being mechanically-harvested will require additional steps.
We attribute the lack of correlation between firmness and bruising to different mechanisms imparting firmness on the berry that differentially impact bruising of tissues, which are not easily discerned using our current methodologies.
Publication
Authors
M. Dossett
Keywords
heritability, fruit quality, mechanical harvest
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