Mummy berry blight resistance in rabbiteye blueberry cultivars

The resistance of 26 rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) cultivars to the blighting phase of mummy berry disease was evaluated under controlled conditions. In 1997, blight levels ranged from 31% to 84%, and averaged 61.3 % across all cultivars. In 1998, blight levels ranged from 71% to 99%, and averaged 89.9%. Several cultivars, including 'Coastal','Delite', 'Centurion', 'Walker', 'Callaway', and 'Garden Blue', exhibited significantly lower levels of mummy berry blight infection in both years. Blighting levels were significantly correlated with new shoot length in 1997, but not in 1998. Rabbiteye blueberry, in general, is less resistant to mummy berry blight than is highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum L.), but several options exist for potential improvement.