Blueberry

Mohammad Ayoub11315774

Scientific classification

Binomial nameVaccinium Cyanococcus  

Kingdom Plantae

Class  Magnoliopsida  

Order Ericales

Family  Ericaceae

Genus   Vaccinium 

Section: Cyanococcus

Description

• Perennial woody crop

• Deciduous fruit tree

• Botanically Dicot plant

Leaves

• Leaf are ovate to oblong

• Leaf arrangement: alternate

• Leaf type and persistence: deciduous or ever green

Flower

• Flower shape:  are bell-shaped

• Flower Color:

White , pink flowers

 

Pollination

•  bees are the only insects that can pollinate , due to the flowers need for

"buzz pollination" .• Most northern

highbush are self-fruitful .

• higher fruit set and larger fruit can be produced through cross pollination .

fruit

the fruit is an false . All species require a high degree of fruit set for a full crop (60-80%) – no thinning is practiced .

Types

Three commercially important blueberry species are recognized:

1.  Northern Highbush 

2.  Rabbiteye blueberry 

3. Lowbush blueberry 

 Northern

Highbush  

 Rabbiteye blueberry 

Lowbush blueberry  

Soils and Climate

are preferred acid soils (pH 4.5-5.2)with high organic matter (20-50%)unlike most fruit cropschilling hours:

Highbush 800 – 1100 hrRabbiteye 350 – 800 hrSouthern Highbush 200 – 700 hrLowbush 1000 hr

Propagation

 Hardwood and softwood cuttings are the most popular methods .

Hardwood softwood

Maturity

• Blue color is the most often used indicator of maturity. Berries turn from green to pink, and then gradually to a complete blue color

Harvest

Berries are picked over several times by hand for fresh sales, and mostly machine harvested for processing. Since berries ripen over a period of weeks, more than one pass with the harvester may be necessary. Lowbush blueberries are harvested by hand rakes, although some mechanical harvesters have been developed.

Postharvest Handling, Storage

Blueberries are fairly perishable, having shelf life of only 2 weeks when stored at 32 F and 90-95% humidity. Fruit rots like Botrytis .

The End