SEASONAL VARIATION IN LOW-TEMPERATURE TOLERANCE OF FRUIT-BUDS OF VACCINIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM.
in HortScienceLowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) is a major fruit crop in costal, Northern New England and Atlantic Canada. One of the factors affecting production is low temperature damage of flower primordia. In addition to mid-winter damage, much of the damage occurs in spring due to late frosts. A study was designed to examine the seasonal variation in the LT50 of fruit buds and to determine the location of the tissue damage.
Field-collected stems were exposed to controlled temperature drops and examined for damage. Three types of damage were identified; destruction of flower primordia, browning of vascular tissue within the fruit-bud, and browning of stem tissue at the base of the bud. The seasonal variation of the occurrence of this damage will be discussed.
