• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.161-168
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: Rabbiteye blueberry(Vaccinium ashei Reade) has low nutrient uptake efficiency due to its shallow and fibrous root system without root hairs. This study was carried out to establish an efficient nutrient application standard by investigating the effect of nitrogen fertigation on the growth and fruit characteristics of rabbiteye blueberry. METHODS AND RESULTS: 'Brightwell' rabbiteye blueberry was treated with 0, 50, 100 and 200% nitrogen fertigation of recommended fertilizer application (6, 9 and 14 g/bush in the first, second and third years, respectively). The results showed that leaf nitrogen content significantly correlated with the fruit weight and fruit yield. However, canopy area, dry weight, sugar and anthocyanin contents did not correlate significantly with the leaf nitrogen content. The leaf and stem dry weights of 'Brightwell' rabbiteye blueberry during the third year of planting were the highest with 50% nitrogen fertigation (leaf dry weight=723.7 g/bush; stem dry weight=890.7 g/bush). Maximum fruit yield of 'Brightwell' rabbiteye blueberry (12.9 kg/bush) was observed during the third year of planting with 50% nitrogen fertigation and this was about 70% greater than the treatment that received no nitrogen fertigation. The fruit yields of 'Brightwell' rabbiteye blueberry during the third year of planting treated with 100 and 200% nitrogen fertigation were 11.0 and 11.5 kg/bush, and these were 17 and 12%lower than the 50% nitrogen fertigation treatment, respectively. Further, the efficiency of nitrogen utilization was the highest (90%) with 50% nitrogen fertigation and lowest (18%) with 200% nitrogen fertigation. CONCLUSION: The results of this study suggests that fertigation with 50% of the recommended fertilizer could be most effective for enhancing the growth and nitrogen use efficiency of rabbiteye blueberry.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.327-333
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• 2014

BACKGROUND: Rabbiteye blueberry(Vaccinium ashei) is one of the most widely grown blueberry types in the world, together with Northern and Southern highbush blueberry(Vaccinium corymbosum). Rabbiteye blueberry have higher soil adaptability and fruit productivity but less cold tolerance to low temperature than highbush blueberry. The objective of this study is to investigate freezing tolerance of floral buds and establish a cultivation zone for rabbiteye blueberry cultivars. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bearing branches which have similar thickness and same number of floral buds were collected in the early January at the blueberry germplasm preservation plot located in Namhae Sub-station, National Institute of Horticultural and Herbal Science in Gyeongsangnamdo. Cold response of bearing branches were investigated by electrolyte leakage and freezing tolerance of floral buds were determined by ovary browning ratio of 50%($LT_{50}$). Cultivation zone was established based on mean annual extreme minimum temperature for 30 years, from 1981 to 2010. The electrolyte leakage of bearing branches in rabbiteye blueberry increased as temperature decreased and was lowest in 'Brightwell' but highest in 'Bluegem' when they were kept in $-5^{\circ}C$. Besides, the electrolyte leakage increased in 'Brightblue', 'Brightwell', 'Climax', 'Delite', 'Gardenblue', 'Southland' and 'Woodard' in $-20^{\circ}C$. Freezing tolerance($LT_{50}$) was lowest in 'Bluegem' and 'Homebell'($-13.3^{\circ}C$), and highest in 'Tifblue'($-25^{\circ}C$) among different rabbiteye blueberry cultivars. $LT_{50}$ of 'Southland' was from -15.0 to $-16.7^{\circ}C$, that of 'Delite', 'Brightwell',' Austin' and 'Climax' was $-18.3^{\circ}C$, and that of 'Bluebelle', 'Woodard' and 'Powderblue' was $-20^{\circ}C$. CONCLUSION: This study indicate that The hardiness zones of rabbiteye blueberry were classified into Six cultivation zones and cultivation zones of most cultivars were the south of Jeollanam-do and Gyeongdangnam-do, except for 'Tifblue.'

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2019

BACKGROUND: Increase in the ratio of small berries in blueberry production decreases the farmers' profits due to weakening market competitiveness and lowering harvest efficiency. One of the reasons for increased small berries is over fruit-load. For improving productivity and competitiveness of blueberry in Korea, hand-thinning can be applied to increase fruit quality before the developing adequate chemical thinning methods. This study was conducted to investigate the proper timing and methods for floral buds thinning in rabbiteye blueberry. METHODS AND RESULTS: Eight years old bushes of rabbiteye bluberries 'Brightwell' as a primary cultivar and 'Powderblue' as a pollinizer were used for this study. Fruit size distribution by leaf-to-fruit ratio was investigated by counting the number of leaves and fruits in canes of 127 'Brightwell' plants whose fruit set varied. Fifty percent of flowers/floral buds were removed in four different floral buds stages such as bud swell, late pink bud, full bloom, and petal fall, and the consumed time for thinning and fruit characteristics were recorded to investigate the effect and proper timing of floral buds thinning. Fruit weight and soluble solids content tended to increase in proportion to leaf-to-fruit ratio and the production of the number of fruits less than 13 mm in diameter decreased when leaf-to-fruit ratio was more than 2.5. Manual floral buds thinning by hands was fastest in full bloom stage and slowest in bud swelling stage. In all cultivars, fruit size was significantly smaller in non-thinning treatment than thinning, and there was, however, no significant difference in total fruit yield. The number of fruits less than 13 mm in diameter increased in both cultivars as floral buds thinning was delayed. Consumed time for picking 90% berries out of total berries per bush was shortest in full bloom stage thinning in 'Brightwell' and bud swelling, full bloom thinning in 'Powderblue'. These were 25 and 20 days faster than no thinning, respectively. CONCLUSION: Although the effect of floral buds thinning varied depending on the cultivars, our results confirmed that floral buds thinning was effective for the early intensive harvesting and the increase of the large fruit ratio and the harvesting productivity. Also, in order to increase thinning efficiency, it is recommended to remove the flower buds before the full bloom stage.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.101-109
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• 2017

For analysis of the relationship among blueberry cultivars, the growth period and morphological characteristics were investigated in 28 blueberry cultivars, and cluster analysis using the SAS program was conducted based on the morphological data. The harvest period was later and longer in rabbiteye blueberry cultivars (Austin, Brightwell, Powderblue, Southland, Tifblue) than in highbush blueberry cultivars. The L/D ratio of flower was more than 2.0 in the Austin, Brightwell, Powderblue, Southland, Tifblue, and Brigitta cultivars, and this could be disadvantageous for pollination. The 28 blueberry cultivars were classified into two groups by the cluster analysis based on growth period and morphological characteristics. Group I included rabbiteye blueberries and Group II included highbush blueberries. However, the northern, southern, and half-highbush blueberry cultivars were not differentiated.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.360-367
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: The productivity and quality of blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) greatly depend on the number of fruits in a plant. Especially, fruit set more than appropriate number negatively affects productivity and marketability due to the increased number of small fruits and delayed harvest time. This study was conducted to investigate proper timing and concentration for applying chemical blossom thinners such as ammonium thiosulfate (ATS) and UREA. METHODS AND RESULTS: ATS at 1.25% and 1.50%, and UREA at 6% and 8% were applied in four developmental stages, bud swell, pink bud, full bloom and petal fall. Fruit thinning rate was calculated based on the number of fruits harvested divided by that of flowers before applying blossom thinners. Ratios of leaf to flower and leaf to fruit were calculated based on the number of fully developed leaves in 25 days after full blossom divided by that of flowers or fruits, respectively. Chemical injury of leaves was investigated by calculating the number of leaves with chemical injury divided by the total number of leaves. Fruit thinning rates were 48% and 66% for UREA treatments at 6% and 8%, respectively, and 49% and 62% for ATS treatments at 1.25% and 1.50%, respectively, in the full bloom stage. In the petal fall stage, fruit thinning rates were 18% and 24% for UREA treatments at 6% and 8%, respectively, and 49% and 35% for ATS treatments at 1.25% and 1.50%, respectively. Leaf to fruit ratio (L/FR) increased by 109% and 188% compared to leaf to flower ratio in ATS treatments at 1.25% and 1.50%, respectively, and L/FR increased 93 and 196% in UREA treatments at 6% and 8%, respectively, in the full bloom stage. In the petal fall stage, leaf to fruit ratio increased by 60% to 100% in ATS treatments, but did not significantly differ from the control in UREA treatments. Fruit harvest was delayed in all treatments of all developmental stages except for 1.5% ATS and 6% UREA treatments at the petal fall stage, whose fruit harvest was two or three days faster than the control. CONCLUSION: The application of ATS and UREA for blossom thinning should be in the petal fall and full bloom stages for early and late harvest, respectively. Considering chemical injury, integrated harvesting and fruit size, however, it is appropriate to apply ATS at 1.5% in the petal fall stage to increase fruit productivity and quality in blueberry.