•New root production timing, peaks and distribution patterns of SHB cultivars ‘8-42′ and ‘9–02′ were quantified using mini-rhizotrons.•The first root production peak commenced during early winter and ...flowering and continued until harvest and suggested that biomass growth above ground during winter may depend on current photosynthesis.•The second root production peak coincided with mid-summer, after harvest and during summer pruning.•Root formation during this time occurred simultaneously with active shoot growth and continued until shoot activity declined in late autumn.•Root formation was not linked to soil conditions and probably determined by the stage of plant development and resource acquisition between above- and belowground growth, similar to previous findings in apple trees.
The objective of this research was to obtain a better understanding of the root growth dynamics of two southern highbush blueberry (SHB) cultivars, '8-–42′ 42′ and '9–02′, in the Western Cape, South Africa, southern hemisphere (SH). The number and length of new roots were measured from June 2020 to June 2021 in commercial orchards in the Hex River production area. Root production was similar between the cultivars and initially peaked at the onset of early winter, to coincide with flowering. A second peak occurred in mid-summer, approximately one month after fruit harvest and summer pruning (late November, SH) and continued until shoot growth declined in late autumn (early May, SH). Soil temperatures ranged between 11 and 20 °C during the first peak in root production and 17 and 31°C during the second peak, suggesting that new root production was controlled by the stage of plant development rather than soil temperature. This paper provides the first report on root development in SHB under the SH conditions and contributes towards implementing precision irrigation and fertigation strategies for evergreen systems.
Display omitted
•Anthocyanins were profiled in six blueberry cultivars for the first time.•Bluegold, Berkeley, and St. Cloud cultivars displayed special anthocyanin profiles.•The proportions of ...delphinidin 3-galactoside were stable in all samples.•Blueberry cultivars showed particular distribution areas in PCA plots.
Anthocyanin profiles, polyphenols and flavonoids contents, and the antioxidant capacities of 13 blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. and Vaccinium corymbosum L./V. angustifolium Ait.) cultivars were determined and compared, including six cultivars for the first time. Although similar anthocyanins were found in the 13 cultivars, their concentrations and proportions were cultivar-dependent. Bluegold, Berkeley, and St. Cloud displayed particular anthocyanin profiles. Half-high cultivars had higher concentrations and proportions of anthocyanidins than highbush cultivars. The Pearson correlations and principal component analysis (PCA), performed to evaluate differences among cultivars, showed that anthocyanins, polyphenols, and flavonoids contents were significantly and positively correlated with blueberry antioxidant capacities. The 2,2-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl radical assay was less suited to assess antioxidant capacities based on flavonoids than ferric reducing antioxidant power assay. Although highbush cultivars could not be separated from half-high cultivars by PCA, each group had its own distribution area, which might be due to the peculiarities of each cultivar, possibly due to genetic origin.
•13 anthocyanins were identified by HPLC-DAD-MS from commercial blueberries in China.•Blueberry species could be separated by the proportions of anthocyanins.•Half-high cultivars had higher total ...anthocyanidin contents than highbush cultivars.•Malvidin, delphinidin, and petunidin were the major anthocyanidins.
In this study, anthocyanins in 17 samples of blueberries of different varieties and geographical origins in China (including Duke, Bluecrop, Northland, Northblue, Spartan, and St. Cloud blueberry varieties) were identified and quantified. Thirteen anthocyanins were identified by means of their absorbance spectrum and fragmentation pattern in tandem mass spectrometry. The anthocyanin profiles from blueberries of all cultivars were similar, but the proportions were cultivar-dependent. Malvidin (41.0%), delphinidin (33.1%), and petunidin (17.3%) were the major contributors to the total anthocyanidin content. The multivariate method of principal component analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate the differences among the cultivars. The results showed that each species could be separated from others cultivated in China, primarily by the proportions of each anthocyanin compound in each blueberry variety. The differences were probably due to the cultivar and climatic factors.
In this study, unconventional technologies were used to enhance the phenolic and antioxidant content of zucchini pieces by enriching them with blueberry juice. Our results indicated that ohmic ...heating (OH) increased the extraction rates of compounds with antioxidant potential in blueberry juice, mainly at 70 °C for 15 min and 7.8 V cm1. Furthermore, OH applied after vacuum impregnation led to higher retention rates of phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity in zucchini pieces impregnated with blueberry juice, especially at 70 °C for 30 min and 7.8 V cm‐−1. The impregnation process also promoted the darkening of zucchini pieces (due to anthocyanin retention) and increased soluble solids. After drying by hot air and vacuum microwave, the phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, physicochemical and color characteristics of the impregnated and non-impregnated zucchinis were distinctly altered. However, vacuum microwave drying at 120 and 460 W can be suggested as the most suitable conditions for both zucchini products, as it resulted in high concentrations of individual phenolic compounds (e.g. up to 44.25, 8.15, and 2.56 mg 100 g‐−1 dry weight (DW) for catechin, gallic acid, and cyanidin, respectively), as well as total phenolic content of up to 484.37 mg gallic acid equivalent 100 g1 DW, total flavonoid content of up to 197.69 mg catechin equivalent 100 g‐−1 DW, and total monomeric anthocyanins of up to 9.48 mg cyanidin 3-glucosideo equivalent 100 g‐−1 DW.
•Vacuum impregnation (VI) with ohmic heating (OH) favor compounds impregnation.•Hot air and vacuum microwave drying (VMD) affect attributes of non- and enriched zucchini.•Cyanidin and epicatechin from blueberry juice were added to the enriched zucchini.•VMD at 120 and 460 W resulted in lower losses of individual phenolic compounds.
Phyllopertha horticola Linné (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is one of the most common phytophagous beetles in Central Europe. In 2020 the blueberry growers from the Mărişel area reported the presence of ...a new beetle that attacked the fruit’s flowers and leaves. The species was identified at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj-Napoca as the garden chafer. In the following year, the plants attacked by the garden beetle were monitored in the blueberry plantation in the Mărişel area. For monitoring the garden chafer, three rows of land were randomly selected in each plot with intervals of 20 plants per row. Each plant was analyzed individually and the number of adult beetles reported on the plant was noted. The observations were made between June and July 2021. In the Elliot variety, the share of plants reported with adults of Phyllopertha horticola Linné was between 50% and 60%, the average being 55%. Regarding the maximum number of adults/plant, it was between 6 specimens (raw 1) and 9 adults/plant (raw 2). In the Bluecrop variety, the share of plants with adults of the monitored species was between 10% and 45%, with an average per variety of 25%.
Summary
Understanding chromosome recombination behavior in polyploidy species is key to advancing genetic discoveries. In blueberry, a tetraploid species, the line of evidences about its genetic ...behavior still remain poorly understood, owing to the inter‐specific, and inter‐ploidy admixture of its genome and lack of in depth genome‐wide inheritance and comparative structural studies.
Here we describe a new high‐quality, phased, chromosome‐scale genome of a diploid blueberry, clone W85. The genome was integrated with cytogenetics and high‐density, genetic maps representing six tetraploid blueberry cultivars, harboring different levels of wild genome admixture, to uncover recombination behavior and structural genome divergence across tetraploid and wild diploid species.
Analysis of chromosome inheritance and pairing demonstrated that tetraploid blueberry behaves as an autotetraploid with tetrasomic inheritance. Comparative analysis demonstrated the presence of a reciprocal, heterozygous, translocation spanning one homolog of chr‐6 and one of chr‐10 in the cultivar Draper. The translocation affects pairing and recombination of chromosomes 6 and 10. Besides the translocation detected in Draper, no other structural genomic divergences were detected across tetraploid cultivars and highly inter‐crossable wild diploid species.
These findings and resources will facilitate new genetic and comparative genomic studies in Vaccinium and the development of genomic assisted selection strategy for this crop.
Accumulation of calcium (Ca) in fruit is largely caused by transpiration and varies depending on the concentration of Ca in the xylem fluid. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the ...relationship between fruit stomatal functioning and Ca accumulation during different stages of development in northern highbush blueberry ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Stomata were scarce on the berries and were concentrated primarily on the distal end near the calyx. The density of the stomata was greatest at petal fall, averaging 5 to 108 stomata/mm 2 from the proximal end (pedicel end) to the distal end of the berries. Stomata were wide-open at the early green stage of berry development and had a slight deposit of wax along the guard cells. As the berries expanded during the initial period of rapid growth (stage I), most of the stomata remained near the distal segment of the berries; by the late green stage, almost none was found in the middle and proximal segments. The majority of these stomata were completely covered with wax when the berries began to change color and ripen (stage II and stage III). Stomatal conductance ( g S ) of the berries averaged 45 mmol·m −2 ·s −1 at petal fall and rapidly declined as the fruit developed. By the fruit coloring stage, conductance was low and remained less than 15 mmol·m −2 ·s −1 throughout the ripening period. In four cultivars, including Duke, Bluecrop, Aurora, and Elliott, Ca uptake in the berries increased rapidly during the early green stage; however, it slowed considerably between the late green and fruit coloring stages and stopped completely during fruit ripening. The results of this study strongly suggested that practices used to increase the Ca content of blueberries, such as the application of foliar fertilizers, should be performed early in the season during the first few weeks after flowering.
Phyllopertha horticola Linné (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) is one of the most common phytophagous beetles in Central Europe. In 2020 the blueberry growers from the Mărişel area reported the presence of ...a new beetle that attacked the fruit’s flowers and leaves. The species was identified at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine in Cluj-Napoca as the garden chafer. In the following year, the plants attacked by the garden beetle were monitored in the blueberry plantation in the Mărişel area. For monitoring the garden chafer, three rows of land were randomly selected in each plot with intervals of 20 plants per row. Each plant was analyzed individually and the number of adult beetles reported on the plant was noted. The observations were made between June and July 2021. In the Elliot variety, the share of plants reported with adults of Phyllopertha horticola Linné was between 50% and 60%, the average being 55%. Regarding the maximum number of adults/plant, it was between 6 specimens (raw 1) and 9 adults/plant (raw 2). In the Bluecrop variety, the share of plants with adults of the monitored species was between 10% and 45%, with an average per variety of 25%.
This study determined optimal fertilization for each of three production methods (i.e., two organic and one conventional) of potted Vaccinium corymbosum ‘Duke’ northern highbush blueberry plants. The ...three production methods were as follows: 1) organic granular (OG) organic coir substrate fertilized with Bio-Fert General Purpose + bloodmeal applied at 4.4, 7.3, 10.2, 13.1, and 16.0 g/pot nitrogen (N), 2) organic liquid (OL) organic coir substrate fertilized with Bio-Fert General-Purpose Liquid + calcium oxide (CaO) applied at 12.2, 14.7, 18.6, 25.3, and 39.5 mmol·L –1 N), and 3) conventional (C; pine bark, coir, and peat substrate fertilized with Osmocote Plus 15N–3.9P–9.9K, 5- to 6-month-duration controlled-release fertilizer applied at 4.4, 7.3, 10.2, 13.1, and 16.0 g/pot N). Blueberry plants were grown in #5 black, squat nursery containers outdoors in the Niagara peninsula, ON, Canada for two (2015–16) growing seasons. Both of the organic and the conventional production systems produced healthy blueberry plants when fertilizer was applied appropriately. With fertilizer application at 4.4 and 7.3 g/pot N for C, 12.2 and 14.7 mmol·L –1 N for the OL, and 8.50 to 13.95 g/pot N for the OG treatments, healthy plant growth was observed in combination with low nutrient leaching. High fertilizer rates resulted in excessive root zone electrical conductivity (EC), poor plant growth, and interveinal chlorosis, which affected fruit production negatively. For C and OL treatments, fertilization at rates of 4.4, 7.3 and 10.2 g/pot N, and 12.2, 14.7, and 18.6 mmol·L –1 N, respectively, produced the greatest total fresh weight of fruit. For OG, a large total fruit fresh weight was produced by all plants with no difference among fertilizer rates. This study suggests optimal fertilizer rates from 4.4 to 7.3 g/pot N for C, 12.2 to 14.7 mmol·L –1 N for the OL treatment, and from 8.50 to 13.95 g/pot N for the OG treatment can be applied based on the methods described in this study during potted blueberry production in nurseries and home gardens.
PDF
