Blueberries
Blueberry articles written by members of the Southern Region Small Fruit Consortium. More information on Blueberry crops.
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In this article, we evaluate how southern berry production has evolved over the past 15 years. Overall, there has been growth in the berry industry in terms of number of operations, and average berry farm size across the region.
Posted in: Summer 2024 -
Meet Lorena Lopez, Assistant Extension Professor at North Carolina State University, and learn about her work in advancing integrated pest management practices for berry growers.
Posted in: Summer 2024 -
This article is the first of a series on work comparing fruit quality traits of major commercial cultivars in southern highbush (SHB), rabbiteye (RE), and northern highbush (NHB) cultivars.
Posted in: Summer 2024 -
Phytophthora root rot, caused by the soilborne oomycete pathogen Phytophthora cinnamomi, is the most frequently diagnosed disease of blueberry in Georgia and is a common disease concern in blueberry production throughout the southeastern U.S.
Posted in: Spring 2024 -
The Mississippi State University Extension Service will be hosting two workshops for blueberry growers in 2024 — an in-person workshop in Hattiesburg, Mississippi on February 8 and a virtual workshop on February 15.
Posted in: Winter 2024 -
Postharvest physiology is key to maintaining the shelf-life of small fruits and reducing food loss. Typically, research deals with the plant and fruit’s response to different technologies and applications that increase quality and delay senescence (decomposition). Fruit quality is a major component of postharvest physiology as it relates to consumer acceptance.
Posted in: Fall 2023 -
Water is an essential resource for small fruit growers, as it is crucial for irrigation and post-harvest activities. In this article, we will provide an overview of various options available to commercial small fruit growers, as well as other measures to improve water quality.
Posted in: Summer 2023 -
Blueberry production in the Southern United States is greatly challenged by diseases like Botryosphaeria stem blight, which is caused by fungi pathogens in the family of Botryosphaeriaceae. Botryosphaeria stem blight can cause sudden wilting and chlorosis of leaves and stems, and in severe cases plant death.
Posted in: Summer 2023 -
Botrytis cinerea is a fungus that causes disease in many crops. Most notably, it causes gray mold of strawberry and Botrytis bunch rot of grape. On strawberries, infection can occur at bloom, while disease symptoms appear at fruit ripening or post-harvest.
Posted in: Spring 2023 -
Organic fungicides are non-conventional products that are listed by the Organic Materials Review Institute and are generally accepted by organic reviewers as qualifying for use in organic production systems. The products evaluated in these blueberry trials include oils, plant or bacterial extracts, or biological control agents (microorganisms) as their active ingredient.
Posted in: Spring 2023