“New blueberry flavors are about to become a reality”
The University of Florida (the University) has a long history of improving blueberries. In the 1950s, it began a program focused on developing low-temperature blueberry varieties and the first southern highbush cultivar was released in 1976. Since then, the University has brought more than 100 highbush varieties to market. high of the south. "In the past, about 95 percent of all southern tall bush varieties globally were developed by the University of Florida," he says. Patricio Muñoz, associate professor of Blueberry Breeding at the University of Florida. "Today, our market share is smaller due to the fierce competition in the blueberry growing sector." However, the University still releases one or two new varieties a year.
The University's blueberry program has two main objectives. “First of all, we want to help producers make money,” Muñoz said. For the producer, performance is the most important thing. The second objective is to delight the consumer. “Flavor, texture and appearance are the key traits we look for from a consumer perspective.”
How are these objectives being achieved? “We use a data-driven methodology in combination with field experiments that are being carried out in Florida and internationally,” Muñoz shared. Each year, 20.000 potential varieties begin the development process and, after many years of research and testing, one or two varieties reach the market. «Before, the entire process, from start to finish, took between 12 and 15 years. "Over time and with the use of technology, it has been reduced to seven years." Ultimately, the goal is to develop a new blueberry variety within five to six years, depending on the market.
Predict consumer taste
The University's blueberry breeding program differentiates itself from other breeding programs through data and technology. “We can use 13 years of consumer panel results,” Muñoz said. All this data is available in a large database. Combined with biochemistry, it allows the research team to predict consumer tastes and find their sweet spots. "Based on that, we have the ability to adjust reproduction objectives that allow us to achieve our goals."
It is not easy to predict consumer preferences in the years to come, but when comparing blueberries to other much more ripe fruits, blueberries may follow the same path of development. “The development of blueberries will not be very different from the path that other fruits have taken, but blueberries are expected to follow it faster,” Muñoz mentioned. Like other fruits, blueberries have increased in size and become crunchier. What's next? Muñoz believes that the future of blueberries lies in flavor. «Unlike strawberries, bananas or peaches that have a particular flavor, blueberries do not have a single, defined flavor. There is a lot of variability in blueberries. "Once consumers face the potential of different flavors in blueberries, this is expected to become the next new preference." The University has been working in this area for years and brought the first aromatic highbush blueberries in the south to the market.
However, Muñoz talks about flavors beyond that. The first candidates have been presented to marketers and retailers and she believes it may take another two or three years until the varieties are fully available on the market. “By then, blueberries may be available with exotic and tropical flavors. “We are on the verge of this becoming a reality,” said Muñoz.
University of Florida varieties are grown in Florida, but are also licensed in countries outside the US, including New Zealand, Australia, Chile, Peru, India and Morocco. "We have an important blueberry breeding program and almost all the large blueberry producing and marketing companies visit our program during the fruit season," concluded Muñoz.
Patricio Muñoz in the Blueberry breeding laboratory – Photography: Tyler Jones UF/IFAS
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