ORGANIC PRODUCTION OF WILD BLUEBERRIES III. FRUIT QUALITY

Organic wild blueberry growers indicated they were concerned that the use of sulfur for controlling weeds could impart a sulfur or off flavor to the fruit.
Fruit were harvested in 2007 from organic production study plots that received a sulfur treatment of 1,100 kg/ha in 2004. Two one liter fruit sub samples were taken from the mowed, unfertilized control plots with no sulfur and from similar plots that received the sulfur treatment in each of eight blocks.
A portion of the sample was used to determine macro and micro nutrients and fresh fruit analyses were conducted to assess pH, percent soluble solids, titratable acidity and Hunter values.
A sensory panel analysis (taste-test) was conducted with a second one-liter sample of fresh fruit.
Thirty six people each received three samples of berries.
No significant differences were found in fruit quality but the Mn and K levels were higher and the Ca and Mg levels lower in the analysis on the fruit from the sulfur treatments.
Taste-test panelists indicated that the berries not treated with sulfur had a ‘more tart/sharper taste’ suggesting that treatment with sulfur may have a beneficial effect on fruit flavor.
The much higher levels of Mn that were found in the fruit from plots treated with sulfur would also confer a beneficial health effect.

IX International Vaccinium Symposium

D.E. Yarborough, J.M. Smagula, F. Drummond, S. Annis

Vaccinium angustifolium, sulfur, lowbush blueberry, organic, taste-test

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.810.113