Articles
Preliminary results from evaluating new cranberry cultivars under Massachusetts growing conditions
Article number
1440_8
Pages
57 – 64
Language
English
Abstract
Massachusetts (MA) cranberry growers are reliant on native cultivars like ‘Howes’ (1843) and ‘Early Black’ (1852). The project, conducted at the UMass Cranberry Station, East Wareham, USA, aims to increase the profitability and sustainability of the MA cranberry industry by evaluating 12 new hybrid cultivars for improved yield, fruit quality, disease resistance, and size.
Propagation and planting of the new cultivars was started in March and June of 2021, respectively.
The trial was a randomized complete block design with four replications per treatment and buffer zones between the plots.
Standard cultural practices for new plantings regarding irrigation, fertilization, pest control, and canopy management were followed.
In 2022, fruit were removed from the vines to allow maximum resource allocation for canopy growth.
The first fruit harvest was in 2023, and yield was measured by picking all fruit within a 0.09-m2 quadrat.
The fruit samples were then sieved through an 8-mm opening to remove undersized berries; the remaining berries represented the yield of marketable berries.
Additional samples (≈500 g) were collected from each treatment replication for fruit quality analysis.
In terms of yield, ‘Haines®’, ‘Welker™’, and ‘Crimson King’ had the highest yield, while ‘Vassana®’ and ‘HyRed®’ performed poorly, with the other cultivars in the mid-range. ‘Scarlet Knight®’, ‘HyRed®’, and ‘Midnight 8’ had the best fruit color, while ‘Badgers’, ‘Granite Red’, ‘Sundance®’, and ‘Pilgrim King’ had poor fruit color.
The highest fruit rot incidence was observed in ‘HyRed®’, ‘Welker™’, and ‘Vassana®’, while ‘Granite Red’, ‘Mullica Queen®’, ‘Badgers’, and ‘Sundance®’ had the lowest incidence.
The fruit size measured as fruit weight was largest in ‘Crimson King’, and ‘Pilgrim King’. In conclusion, first-year data showed differences in the performance of the cultivars under MA growing conditions.
Further data spanning multiple years is required to guide growers with comprehensive recommendations.
Propagation and planting of the new cultivars was started in March and June of 2021, respectively.
The trial was a randomized complete block design with four replications per treatment and buffer zones between the plots.
Standard cultural practices for new plantings regarding irrigation, fertilization, pest control, and canopy management were followed.
In 2022, fruit were removed from the vines to allow maximum resource allocation for canopy growth.
The first fruit harvest was in 2023, and yield was measured by picking all fruit within a 0.09-m2 quadrat.
The fruit samples were then sieved through an 8-mm opening to remove undersized berries; the remaining berries represented the yield of marketable berries.
Additional samples (≈500 g) were collected from each treatment replication for fruit quality analysis.
In terms of yield, ‘Haines®’, ‘Welker™’, and ‘Crimson King’ had the highest yield, while ‘Vassana®’ and ‘HyRed®’ performed poorly, with the other cultivars in the mid-range. ‘Scarlet Knight®’, ‘HyRed®’, and ‘Midnight 8’ had the best fruit color, while ‘Badgers’, ‘Granite Red’, ‘Sundance®’, and ‘Pilgrim King’ had poor fruit color.
The highest fruit rot incidence was observed in ‘HyRed®’, ‘Welker™’, and ‘Vassana®’, while ‘Granite Red’, ‘Mullica Queen®’, ‘Badgers’, and ‘Sundance®’ had the lowest incidence.
The fruit size measured as fruit weight was largest in ‘Crimson King’, and ‘Pilgrim King’. In conclusion, first-year data showed differences in the performance of the cultivars under MA growing conditions.
Further data spanning multiple years is required to guide growers with comprehensive recommendations.
Publication
Authors
G. Mupambi, L. Uppala, H.A. Sandler, P. Jeranyama
Keywords
Vaccinium macrocarpon, yield, fruit color, fruit rot, internal quality
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