Effects of fruit thinning on blueberry fruit maturation and quality

Rabbiteye blueberry cv. 'Baldwin' has been thinned in varying degrees (20%-40% per ear) in fruit development period. We determined fruit maturation and qualities to evaluate thinning. Fruit qualities included vertical and horizontal diameter, single fruit weight, firmness, water content, soluble solids content, vitamin C content, titratable acid content and anthocyanins content. The result showed that, some fruits quality indexes increase, such as vertical and horizontal diameter, single fruit weight, firmness, soluble solids content, vitamin C content and anthocyanins content. Contrarily, water content and titratable acid content of mature fruit decreased. As the degrees of fruit thinning improving, blueberry fruits gain a more concentrated and earlier maturation. The reasonable fruit thinning significant improved blueberry fruit quality and put forward the maturation.