The demand for the consumption of blueberries has not stopped rising and all the projections indicate that due to its healthy qualities and the wide knowledge that the world has acquired regarding the fruit, its consumption will rise even more in the new post-pandemic scenarios.

"There is no perfect variety"

The challenge is to satisfy the demands of consumers, and in this framework genetic researchers rush processes to obtain varieties of plants that guarantee better qualities of the fruit, in addition to being able to reach increasingly distant destinations in good condition, be more productive, face the lack of water, and ensure that they adapt to increasingly diverse climates and soils.

Four TH for Latam

Jorge Nanjari, representative of Viveros Sunny Ridge, in his presentation of new varieties for the Latin American market, shared the characteristics of four licenses for TH varieties, from the University of Georgia, which correspond to Southern Highbush, with low or very low requirements. of cold. They are more concentrated harvest, which allows to take advantage of the best price windows in the market and, incidentally, have a lower harvest cost.

The destination of these selections is programmed for Peru (TH944 and TH1321), for Colombia (TH944, TH1321 and TH1872), and for Ecuador (TH944, TH1321, TH1870 and TH1872). They are varieties of exceptional flavor and high firmness, with very small and dry scars, firm fruit, vigorous growth and high productivity.

They are varieties with shorter periods of flora and fruit, which gives advantages in places where there is frost, and they are less exposed to fungi such as Botrytis, which is very important in the post-harvest life of the fruit.

Chile: The south also exists

In the offer of Viveros SunnyRidge for the Chilean industry, the MegasBlue and Titanium varieties were launched, which correspond to Northern Highbush, with high cold requirements, special for the southern part of Chile.

Some time ago, experts have observed that for various reasons the cultivation of blueberries in Chile could be transferred to the south in an important way, mainly due to the effects of climate change and also looking for the late harvest. In addition to the abundant availability of water in the area.

Viveros SunnyRidge, despite its long stay in the Chilean industry, is the first time that it offers Northern Highbush varieties to national producers and this time it does so with the offer of these two powerful varieties.

MegasBlue  

It is a variety with high cold requirements, erect growth, very good vigor and high productivity (20 to 25 Ton / ha). The size of the fruit is large, with a consistent blue color and a good bloom. It has a good flavor and a high level of brix degrees, or sweetness. It corresponds to a very concentrated crop variety that is suitable for making it mechanically. Its fruit is firm and without red berries, with a good postharvest life.

Titanium

This variety is also Northern Highbush, with a high requirement for cold, especially for the southern part of Chile because it resists very low winter temperatures.

The size of the fruit fluctuates between 17 and 20 mm, of light blue color and excellent bloom, without red fruits. It produces a very firm fruit, which allows it to have a long postharvest life. It is a variety of crispy fruit, with a good level of Brix degrees and a very good flavor.

"Both varieties are very powerful for cold weather conditions, suitable for the area from Chillán to the south, including the southernmost part, and we believe that they will be a contribution and a good replacement," Nanjari assures.

Industry and royalties

Jorge Nanjari emphasizes the need to renew varieties and take advantage of the abundant supply of the nursery industry: “Every day new territories with their own characteristics are incorporated, and more and more business models emerge, with free varieties, with royalties per plant , with royalty for fruit, club type, for rent, etc. On the other hand, every day the consumer is more informed and looks for a particular flavor, firmness and condition ”, he comments.

Nanjari explains that Viveros SunnyRidge has always made the varieties it commercializes available to all producers, avoiding distorting the market or privileging some over others.

"We do not oblige to deliver the fruit to anyone and we do not limit the availability of plants (...) we only charge a royalty (in the case of protected varieties) that goes entirely to the breeders, and that allows financing the Genetic Improvement Programs", he concludes .