A survey of fruit firmness in highbush blueberry and species-introgressed blueberry cultivars

Eighty-seven highbush blueberry and species-introgressed blueberry cultivars were evaluated for fruit firmness in the 1998-2000 growing seasons with a FirmTech 1 automated firmness tester. Significant differences were observed among cultivars. An average firmness of 136.1 g.mm(-1) of deflection (g.mm(-1) dfl) was observed across all studied cultivars, and a range of 80.4 g.mm(-1) dfl ('Herbert') to 189.0 g.mm(-1) dfl (Pearl River'). Species ancestry was not consistently, related to firmness; however, cultivars with higher firmness values often possessed a higher percentage of Vaccinium darrowi Camp and V. ashei Reade ancestry. Conversely, cultivars with softer than average fruit often possessed a higher percentage of lowbush (V. angustifolium Ait.) ancestry. This information may help to identify sources of breeding material for increased firmness in highbush blueberry hybrids.