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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Genetic Improvement for Fruits & Vegetables Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #347319
Title: Breeding trait priorities of the blueberry industry in the United States and Canada

Author
item GALLARDO, R - Washington State University
item ZHANG, QI - Washington State University
item KLINGTHONG, PARICHAT - Washington State University
item DOSSETT, MICHAEL - Agriculture And Agri-Food Canada
item Polashock, James
item RODRIGUEZ-SAONA, CESAR - Rutgers University
item VORSA, NICHOLI - Rutgers University
item EDGER, PATRICK - Michigan State University
item SCHERM, HARALD - University Of Georgia
item ASHRAFI, HAMID - North Carolina State University
item Babiker, Ebrahiem
item Finn, Chad
item IORIZZO, MASSIMO - North Carolina State University

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/23/2018
Publication Date: 7/25/2018
Citation: Gallardo, R.K., Zhang, Q., Klingthong, P., Dossett, M., Polashock, J.J., Rodriguez-Saona, C., Vorsa, N., Edger, P., Scherm, H., Ashrafi, H., Babiker, E.M., Finn, C.E., Iorizzo, M. 2018. Breeding trait priorities of the blueberry industry in the United States and Canada. HortScience. 53(7):1021-1028. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI12964-18.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI12964-18

Interpretive Summary: Developing new blueberry cultivars requires breeders to be aware of current and emerging needs throughout the supply chain, from producer to consumer. This study assessed breeding priorities for blueberry fruit and plant quality traits based on a survey conducted at producer meetings across nine U.S. states and British Columbia (Canada) between November 2016 and March 2017. In general, industry responses signaled that the most important trait group was fruit quality, including the traits firmness, flavor, and shelf life. There were differences across regions in the relative importance assigned to traits for disease resistance, arthropod resistance, and tolerance to stresses. Our findings will be useful to breeders and allied scientists seeking to develop accelerated selection strategies to develop cultivars with improved traits for the North American blueberry industry.

Technical Abstract: Developing new blueberry cultivars requires breeders to be aware of current and emerging needs throughout the supply chain, from producer to consumer. Because breeding perennial crop plants, such as blueberry, is both time- and resource-intensive, understanding and targeting priority traits is critical to enhancing the efficiency of breeding programs. This study assesses blueberry industry breeding priorities for fruit and plant quality traits based on a survey conducted at producer meetings across nine U.S. states and British Columbia (Canada) between November 2016 and March 2017. In general, industry responses signaled that the most important trait cluster was fruit quality, including the traits firmness, flavor, and shelf life. Fruit quality traits impact price premiums received by producers; influence consumer’s preferences; and has the potential to increase the feasibility of mechanical harvesting, all critical to the economic viability of the industry. There were differences across regions in the relative importance assigned to traits for disease resistance, arthropod resistance, and tolerance to abiotic stresses. Our findings will be useful to breeders and allied scientists seeking to develop accelerated DNA-based selection strategies to develop cultivars with improved traits for the North American blueberry industry.