Comparison of Rabbiteye Blueberry Cultivars Grown on Two Different Mountain Slope Orientations in North Georgia

Abstract

Yield and fruit size of seven cultivars and three selections of rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium asheiR.) were compared on two different mountain slope orientations to determine adaptability to the mountain environment and the stability of performance. Mountain slope orientation influenced the annual yield of some, but not all of the 10 rabbiteye cultivars/selections included in this study. Fruit size was larger on 5 of the 10 rabbiteye cultivars located on a southeastern-facing slope compared to a northwestern-facing slope. ‘Tifblue’ and ‘Delite’ were the most productive of all cultivars, but fruit size was intermediate. Yield comparisons for the same cultivars and the same age of plant at other areas in the United States and Japan showed that selected blueberry cultivars could be grown successfully on mountain slopes similar to those in Georgia. ‘Bluebelle’ required seven harvests to obtain 100% total yield whereas 86 to 92% of the total yield of ‘Climax’ and selection ‘T-142’ were harvested in 4 harvests.