Evaluation of prospective highbush blueberry cultivars

Abstract

Blueberry species are economically important berry plants in europe. Their berries are a source of very valuable chemical components such as anthocyanins, organic acids, sugars, and other biologically active compounds. Growing of highbush blueberry started in Lithuania in 1965, however, modern cultivars have been under investigations at Kaunas Botanical Garden of VMU only since 1995. The comprehensive morphological and biochemical characterization of high­ bush blueberry Vaccinium×covilleanum genotypes is very important for cultivar identification and assessment of cultivars prospectivity.The aim of this study was to select highbush blueberry cultivars distinguished by berry quality, high productivity, and large amounts of biologically ac­ tive components. Winter hardiness and resistance to late spring frosts were accomplished also. The cultivars of highbush blueberry ‘toro’, ‘Nui’, ‘Bluecrop’, ‘Patriot’, ‘spartan’, and ‘sunrise’ were selected because of high productivity and good berry quality.