Blueberry and Strawberry Breeding Highlightswhatcom.wsu.edu/ag/edu/sfc/documents/sfc2017/2017... ·...
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Blueberry and Strawberry Breeding Highlights Michael Dossett BC Berry Cultivar Development Inc. Presented by Eric Gerbrandt
Transcript of Blueberry and Strawberry Breeding Highlightswhatcom.wsu.edu/ag/edu/sfc/documents/sfc2017/2017... ·...
Blueberry and Strawberry Breeding Highlights
Michael DossettBC Berry Cultivar Development Inc.
Presented by Eric Gerbrandt
• Develop varieties for processing and fresh markets– Machine-harvestability (#1) improved growth habit (#3)– Firmer fruit (#2)– Span season and concentrated ripening– Shock and Scorch virus resistance/tolerance– Improved tolerance to root rot/water-logged soils– Improved resistance to bacterial and fungal cane diseases
Program Objectives:
What is Involved in a Blueberry Breeding Program?
• Year 1 - Make crosses, plant seedlings
• Years 3,4 - Evaluate seedlings, make and propagate selections
• Years 6,7 - Begin evaluation of selections
• Year 8 or so - Grower trials
• Years 10-15 – Release cultivar
Testing blueberry selections for bruising tendency
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
Duke
Cloc
kwor
k
Tops
helf
Blue
Rib
bon
BC 1
508.
12
Libe
rty
BC 9
-2-1
0
Carg
o
BC 1
638.
32
BC 1
509.
1
BC 1
638.
36
Drap
er
Huro
n
BC 1
509.
10
Caly
pso
BC 1
638.
29
BC 1
2-6-
8
BC 1
507.
86
BC 1
507.
68
BC 1
638.
14
Firm
ness
(g fo
rce/
mm
def
lect
ion)
Variety or Selection
Firmness of Recent Blueberry Releases and BC Selections (2016 data)
05-Jul
11-Jul
25-Jul
First Selections Ready for Grower Trial!
• BC 12-6-35 (cross in 2009, selected in 2013)
• BC 14-40-117 (cross in 2011, selected in 2014)
• BC 14-40-158 (cross in 2011, selected in 2014)
• BC 14-42-1 (cross in 2011, selected in 2014)
Second Round Selections Ready for Grower Trial!
• BC 12-6-35 (cross in 2009, selected in 2013)
• BC 14-58-265 (cross in 2011, selected in 2014)
• BC 14-58-187 (cross in 2011, selected in 2014)
BC 12-6-35
• Similar growth habit as Draper - may not produce a particularly large bush
• Flower buds are small and indistinct –may not be fully formed in fall?
• Midseason – probably about same timing as ‘Bluecrop’
• Medium-large berry, dry scar, light blue colour
• Concerns: Yield and vigour
• Phenomenal fruit quality -particularly firmness and shelf-life!
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
Harvest 7 Days 14 Days 21 Days 28 Days 35 Days
Firm
ness
(g/m
m d
efle
ctio
n)
Days in Cold Storage
Firmness After Cold Storage of Hand-harvested Blueberry Fruit
BC 12-6-35
BluecropDraperDuke
BC 14-40-117• Upright, open bush, very
vigorous grower!• Midseason – probably will
start with ‘Bluecrop’ or slightly later
• Very small scar, light blue colour, good flavour
• Firmer than Draper, but not as firm as 12-6-35
• Need more plants!
BC 14-40-158• Upright, narrow, vase-shaped bush
• Early-midseason - later than Draper, probably a bit earlier than BC 12-6-35 and BC 14-40-117
• Medium-sized, medium blue colour, very good flavour
• Firmness similar to ‘Duke’ or ‘Draper’
• Sets a lot of flower buds, heavy pruning will be important
• Fruit clusters can be tight - might be a problem for mechanical harvest?
BC 14-42-1
• Upright, open bush
• Early-midseason – early read is that this will have similar timing to 14-40-158
• Medium-sized, dark blue colour, good flavour - may be processing only because of colour and size?
• Firmness similar to ‘Draper’
• Sets a lot of flower buds, heavy pruning will be important
Early/Mid-Season Samples (July 28-August 4):BC Selections with Comparisons at Clearbrook
130
150
170
190
210
230
250
270
Frui
t firm
ness
(g fo
rce/
mm
def
lect
ion)
Time post harvest (date)
BC-14-40-117 (Clearbrook)
BC-14-40-14 (Clearbrook)
BC-14-40-158 (Clearbrook)
BC-14-42-47 (Clearbrook)
BC-14-8-76 (Clearbrook)
Bluecrop (Clearbrook)
Day-neutral Strawberry Activities
• Evaluate selections already in pipeline• Evaluate material from outside of program• Focus on day-neutrals but continue with June-bearers as
needed…– ~3000 seedlings/year– At least one parent in each cross is DN– Selections made in spring, catch both
DN and JB plants, monitor through season– Propagate for further evaluation
Strawberry Selection in Pipeline• Selection of interest: BC 10-2-1
– Excellent reviews from Quebec grower trials, particularly fruit quality
– Early read in BC is size and yield similar to ‘Albion’
– Compact plant makes fruit visible and picking easy
– Currently in virus cleanup
BC 1521.12
BC 1516.3
BC 1509.31 BC 1513.70
BC 1525.33 BC 1502.46
Thank You!
• RIDC, BCBC, BCSGA, LMHIA, WRRC, WSC
• Georgia Kliever, Gosia Zdanowicz, Carol Koch, Rob Hildebrandt, ChaimKempler
• Eric Gerbrandt , Carolyn Teasdale, Mark Sweeney, Karina Sakalauskas, Siva Sabaratnam, Tom Baumann, Jason Smith, Mike Makara, Rudi Janzen
• Amanda Herfst, Ariel Brown, Meghan Samoyloff, Katie Galliazzo, Celia Stewart, Mark Schmidt, Aleesha Jones, Joanna Zhu, Angel Chu
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
Anyone else I may have inadvertently left off!
