Southern Highbush blueberry breeding at the University of Arkansas

The blueberry breeding program at the University of Arkansas (UA) was initiated in 1976 by James N. Moore. This effort followed the cultivar and cultural evaluations that provided information in the early 1970s that blueberries could be grown successfully in Arkansas. From these evaluations, it was evident that breeding for the soils and climate of Arkansas would enhance cultivar adaptation for growers. From the outset, the UA breeding effort has had a strong cooperation with the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture (USDA). Major USDA cooperating scientists have been Arlen Draper, followed by Mark Ehlenfeldt. Since the program was begun, over 500 selections have been made from approximately 40,000 seedlings evaluated. Major goals have included adaptation to mineral (low organic matter content) soils, and all seedlings have been grown in sandy or silt loams. Additionally, an emphasis has been placed on high fruit quality and plant hardiness for the upper-South area of the U.S. 'Ozarkbluc' was released in 1996, and is being produced to a limited extent in Arkansas but also in other areas of the world. 'Summit' was cooperatively released in 1998 by the University of Arkansas, North Carolina State University, and the USDA. A group of advanced selections with a range of ripening dates is under final evaluation for potential release. Seedling populations continue to combine a unique mix of species contributing to adaptation, including Vaccinium atrococcum, V. darrowi, and V. ashei combining with V. corymbosum. Recently the characterization of antioxidant content along with several individual nutraceutical compounds in various genotypes has been conducted. Additionally, postharvest evaluations are routinely done.