Nocturne, a new blueberry for producers

25/06/2015

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently received a patent for Nocturne, a blueberry cultivar developed by scientists from the Agricultural Genetic Improvement Laboratory of the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

The new cultivar came from a cranberry crossover made by plant geneticist Mark Ehlenfeldt at 1993. Later the plant was selected and evaluated from 1996 to 2011, says the ARS.

Thus, Nocturne, was tested under the name "US 1056," and is a cross between US 874 (a mixture of hybrid species) and Premier (a commercial rabbiteye blueberry). Nocturne incorporates germplasm from three different blueberry species, including one resistant to extreme cold.

"Nocturne is a winter-resistant, vigorous and black blueberry. This variety is intended to be a specialized commercial plant for home, landscapes and ornamental use", According to Ehlenfeldt.

The fruit stands out mainly for its great resistance to winter which is comparable to northern blueberry cultivars and its slowness to break dormancy in spring, which differentiates it from any other rabbiteye hybrid blueberry available today.

The new blueberry fructifies reliably in New Jersey [USA], with an average of 5.4 kg per plant. Likewise, ARS stresses that, despite working with self-pollination, the yields and the size of the fruit are susceptible to be improved through cross-pollination.

The unripe fruit is a red-orange color, offering an attractive landscape. Meanwhile, the ripe fruit is black, sweet and medium in size, with an atypical flavor compared to other rabbiteye or highbush blueberries.

Nocturne matures at the end of the season. The scar quality is precise and the fruit only has a moderate firmness, so Nocturne is not recommended for storage or export.

Nocturne plants are expected to be available to producers within a year or two.

Source: Fruit Portal