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Title: 'CHANTICLEER' HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY

Author
item Ehlenfeldt, Mark
item VORSA, N - RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NJ
item DRAPER, A - USDA, ARS, RETIRED

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: 'Chanticler', an early ripening highbush blueberry was released for propagation in January 1997. 'Chanticleer' ripens two-five days earlier than 'Weymouth', the earliest leading cultivar. 'Chanticleer' fruit is superior to 'Weymouth' in size, firmness and color and yields have been generally equivalent to 'Weymouth'. 'Chanticleer' flowers slightly later that 'Weymouth', offering improved avoidance from damage by late spring frosts. Observations have suggested it is resistant to mummy berry blight, and relatively resistant to stem blight. 'Chanticleer' has been a consistently good performer in New Jersey, but more variable in other regions where it has been tested, producing low to moderate yields in Michigan, Arkansas, Oregon, and North Carolina. The great interest in New Jersey in having an earlier ripening cultivar than 'Weymouth' has prompted the release of this cultivar. This cultivar will benefit blueberry growers in the northeastern U.S. interested in producing earlier ripening berries, and should be useful germplasm for the development of new early ripening cultivars.

Technical Abstract: The Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture and the Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station released to nurserymen for propagation a new highbush blueberry cultivar named 'Chanticleer'. 'Chanticleer', which was tested as G-481, is a sibling of 'Sunrise', and is a progeny from the cross G-180 x Me-US 6620. The cross that produced 'Chanticleer' was made by A. D. Draper at Beltsville, Maryland in 1974, and the seedling was selected in 1978 at the Atlantic Bluebery Company, Hammonton, NJ. 'Chanticleer' ripens its fruit two-five days earlier than 'Weymouth', the earliest leading cultivar, and is superior to 'Weymouth' in fruit size and color. Its fruit are medium sized, medium to light blue, with good scars, and good firmness. 'Chanticleer' fruit is sweet, sub-acid, and mild- flavored, and production is equivalent to 'Weymouth'. 'Chanticleer' is an upright, moderate height bush, that flowers slightly later than 'Weymouth', offering improved avoidance from damage by late spring frosts. Observations have suggested it is resistant to mummy berry blight caused by the fungus Monilinia vaccinii-corymbosi, and relatively resistant to stem blight caused by Borryosphaeria dothidea. Because 'Chanticleer' has been a consistently good performer in New Jersey, but has been more variable in other regions is recommended as an early season cultivar primarily for commercial growers in northeastern temperate regions, including New Jersey and adjoining states.