INTERSECTIONAL HYBRIDS OF LINGONBERRY (VACCINIUM VITIS–IDAEA, SECTION VITIS–IDAEA) AND CRANBERRY (V. MACROCARPON, SECTION OXYCOCCUS) TO VACCINIUM RETICULATUM (SECTION MACROPELMA)

To increase the genetic resources of lingonberry and cranberry, intersectional hybrids were generated with the Hawaiian species Vaccinium reticulatum. Pollinations were only successful with V. reticulatum as the female parent.
Hybrids with lingonberry (cultivar Erntedank) displayed intermediate vegetative traits and most were vigorous and uniform in appearance.
Many of these produced flower buds and most have flowered with a “lingonberry-like” inflorescence; although unlike lingonberry, a vegetative tip is often retained and both four and five-petalled flowers were present.
Poor pollen production and low germination were observed, and no fruit were produced with self-pollination.
When backcrossed to either lingonberry or V. reticulatum, lingonberry-like fruit were produced.
Seeds from these fruit have germinated in vitro.

Hybrids with cranberry (cultivar Stevens) also displayed intermediate vegetative traits.
These were non-uniform for vigor, and a minority of the plants grew well.
None have produced flower buds after one year, but two plants flowered on new lateral stems (similar to V. reticulatum). No fruit were produced even after pollination with viable cranberry pollen.

VI International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture

E.L. Zeldin, B.H. McCown

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.446.34