Blueberry (Vaccinium × Covilleanum) collection at the Kaunas botanical garden of Vytautas Magnus university

Abstract

Establishment of the collection of blueberries (Vaccinium × covilleanum Butkus et Pliszka) at Kaunas Botanical Garden of VMU was started in 1993. Presently, there are 97 different samples of blueberries in the collection, and 49 of them are cultivars. As a result of long years of selec­ tion work and investigations the first two approved by Lithuanian cultivars were selected at Kaunas Botanical Garden of VMU by name ‘freda‘ and ‘Danute’ in 2011. The new Lithuanian cultivars are different from other blueberry cultivars because of higher amount of anthocyanins in the berries. Productivity and other features important for growers of 40 cultivars were evaluated during many years of investigation. According to the quality of berries and productivity, ‘reka’, ‘toro’, ‘Patriot’, ‘Nui’, ‘Puru’, ‘spartan’, ‘Bluejay’, ‘Putte’ and ‘Danute’ were considered the best cultivars.