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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Poplarville, Mississippi » Southern Horticultural Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #213915
Title: Recent and pending blueberry cultivar releases

Author
item Stringer, Stephen
item Spiers, James
item DRAPER, ARLEN - RETIRED USDA
item SAMPSON, BLAIR - MISS STATE UNIV
item Shaw, Donna

Submitted to: Blueberry Research Extension North American Workers Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/26/2006
Publication Date: 6/4/2006
Citation: Stringer, S.J., Spiers, J.M., Draper, A.D., Sampson, B.J., Marshall, D.A. 2006. Recent and pending blueberry cultivar releases. Blueberry Research Extension North American Workers Conference Proceedings. 190-191.

Interpretive Summary: Four new blueberry Cultivars were released by the USDA-ARS Small Fruits Research Station in 2004 and 2005 and another will be submitted for release in 2007. These new blueberries were developed from germplasm adapted to the southern U.S. and include two rabbiteye ('DeSoto' and 'Prince'), two southern highbush ('Dixieblue' and 'Gupton') and one evergreen ornamental ('NativeBlue') blueberry cultivar. These new blueberries provide growers with productive cultivars that produce berries having excellent quality that not only ripens during the early market windows but will also substantially extend the fresh and U-Pick market seasons. The new ornamental cultivar will provide nurserymen and landscapers with an attractive and durable new evergreen to complement the more traditional southern perennials.

Technical Abstract: Four new blueberry Cultivars were released by the USDA-ARS Small Fruits Research Station in 2004 and 2005 and another will be submitted for release in 2007. These new blueberries were developed from germplasm adapted to the southern U.S. and include two rabbiteye ('DeSoto' and 'Prince'), two southern highbush ('Dixieblue' and 'Gupton') and one evergreen ornamental ('NativeBlue') blueberry cultivar.