LINGONBERRY YIELDS IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST

Lingonberries, Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., were studied as a possible new crop for the Pacific Northwestern, United States.
Lingonberries are primarily grown in Scandinavian and European countries, namely Norway, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Estonia, and Russia.
A number of European and a few North American cultivars have been released and this research aimed to determine the cultivars that were best adapted to the Pacific Northwest based on fruit yield, berry size, and berry soluble solids for fruit harvested during the summer and autumn seasons.
Twenty-one genotypes were evaluated from 1999–2007. In a nine-year study, lingonberries were evaluated for summer yield (first week of August), autumn yield (the first week of November), total yield, individual berry weight, ripening date, and Brix (% soluble solids). Yields from several cultivars showed commercial potential.
Some cultivars had excellent summer yield (‘Erntesegen’, ‘Sanna’ and ‘Koralle’) or autumn yield (‘Erntesegen’, ‘Koralle-G’, ‘Ida’). ‘Erntesegen’ had the greatest total yield (342 kg•100 m^-2) and ‘Regal’ had the lowest (50 kg•100 m^-2). Cultivars (‘Erntesegen’, ‘Ida’ and ‘Koralle-G’) had excellent yield in both seasons and a high total yield.
The Brix for summer and autumn harvest ranged from 13.9% for ‘87102-3’ to 10.3% for ‘Splendor’. Berry weight ranged from the largest in ‘Erntesegen’ (0.42 g) to the smallest in ‘Erntedank’ (0.18 g). ‘Erntesegen’ and ‘Ida’ rated well for yield, individual berry weight and Brix and are recommended for commercial planting in the Pacific Northwest.
Data from these trials suggest that multiple cultivars should be grown in the Pacific Northwest.

IX International Vaccinium Symposium

R.H. Penhallegon

Vaccinium vitis-idaea L., lingon, small fruits, yields, yield trials, new crops

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.810.30