Impacts of genotype, edaphic factors, and plant nutrients on yield and fruit quality for a perennial specialty crop (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.)

Authors: Millar, David; Kennedy, Casey; Zalapa, Juan; JERANYAMA, PETER - University Of Massachusetts; MUPAMBI, GIVERSON - University Of Massachusetts; Wiegman, Adrian; Buda, Anthony

Submitted to: Crop Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/10/2024
Publication Date: 6/19/2024
Citation: Millar, D.J., Kennedy, C.D., Zalapa, J.E., Jeranyama, P., Mupambi, G., Wiegman, A.R., Buda, A.R. 2024. Impacts of genotype, edaphic factors, and plant nutrients on yield and fruit quality for a perennial specialty crop (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.). Crop Science. 64(4):2231-2242. https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21272.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/csc2.21272

Interpretive Summary: Despite comprising a large portion of crop value in the United States, less is known about how plant genetics and environmental conditions impact crop yield and quality for specialty crops, like cranberries, compared to more conventionally grown crops. In this study, we conducted a multifaceted analysis that explicitly considered crop genotype, soil properties, and plant nutrient content on yield and fruit quality parameters for several commercial cranberry beds. We found complex relationships among these variables, indicating that further research is warranted, investing yield and fruit quality among multiple cranberry cultivars and genotypes across a range of environments.

Technical Abstract: Compared to conventional crops, comparatively less is understood about the important factors that impact yield and crop quality for specialty crops, despite their significant value. Like other specialty crop, the cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) industry has faced economic challenges in recent years, necessitating an improvement in our understanding of how yield and fruit quality are impacted by genetic, as well as environmental variability. In this study, we performed a multifaceted observational analysis of six commercial cranberry beds planted to the same widely grown cultivar, Stevens. The six sites included 3 beds with above average multiyear yields, and three that were lower than average. We considered genotype, edaphic factors, and plant nutrient content as driving variables of yield and fruit quality. We found that genetic consistency within sites increased the chances of obtaining above-average yields over an 8-yr period. The highest levels of genetic contamination (38 – 75%) were found at the low yielding sites, where significant differences in yield and fruit quality were observed between genotypes, within beds. Across all sites, focusing only on plots genetically confirmed to be Stevens cultivar, we also found that plot-scale yield in 2020 was significantly higher for two of three long-term high yielding sites, suggesting other factors besides genetic contamination influenced differences in bed-scale yield. A factor analysis of mixed data that simultaneously included genotype, edaphic variables, and plant tissue nutrient content reveal complex associations among these variables were associated with grouping plots based on long term yield. These findings highlight the importance of further exploring the complex genetic and environmental factors critical to cranberry yield and fruit quality.