‘Hortblue Petite’ (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) is a compact, small-statured tetraploid blueberry that was introduced to the New Zealand retail sector as a garden ornamental in 2005. Pollination requirements for ‘Hortblue Petite’ have not previously been investigated and this study was undertaken to better understand compatibility with other blueberry cultivars. Pollen donor effects on fruit weight were significant; pollen from large fruiting cultivars produced bigger fruit in ‘Hortblue Petite’, adding support toward metaxenia occurring in blueberry. Outcrossing with other tetraploids was most successful in terms of fruit set, berry weight, and yield potential. The number of viable seeds per berry was less with self-pollination and with crosses using pollen from a hexaploid rabbiteye type. The data indicated that the best yields would be obtained from using either open-pollinated flowers or a large-fruited cultivar such as ‘Nui’.
Pollination of ‘Hortblue Petite’ blueberry: Evidence of Metaxenia in a new ornamental home-garden cultivar
Year: 2011
