STAGES OF RABBITEYE AND HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY FRUIT DEVELOPMENT AND THE ASSOCIATED CHANGES IN MINERAL ELEMENTS

The growth curves of fruit and associated changes in mineral elements were investigated from 1996 to 1999 in ‘Woodard’ and ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye blueberries and ‘Jersey’ highbush blueberry.
Growth rates of the fruit of three cultivars were characterized by double-sigmoid curves.
The curves were divided into three stages: stage 1 (young fruit stage), the first period of rapid growth following flowering (lasting to the beginning of July); stage 2 (retarded growth period), a period of little increase in fruit size; and stage 3 (maximum growth stage), a period of rapid growth lasting until maturation.
The length of stage 2 varied with cultivars; in ‘Tifblue’ longer than ‘Woodard’ rabbiteye or ‘Jersey’ highbush blueberry.
Concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe and Mn in fruits (including seeds) were the highest in the beginning of stage 1 and decreased substantially during stage 2 and stage 3. All mineral elements of ‘Jersey’ highbush blueberry, except for K and Ca, were higher than in ‘Woodard’ and ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye blueberries.

VII International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture

T. Tamada

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.574.18