Project Number: 1275-21000-180-06
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 01, 2008
End Date: May 31, 2011

Objective:
Identify factors that explain differences in yield among lowbush blueberry clones. Compare high yielding clones to low yielding clones for several factors. Factors include average genetic similarity with neighbors and effects of relationship of parents in controlled crosses on fruit set, synchrony of flowering time with neighbors, freezing tolerance of closed flower buds and open flowers, floral morphological and physiological differences (nectar amounts) that might be more attractive to bees, signs of disease, etc.

Approach:
Studies will focus on comparing high yielding clones to low yielding clones for several factors. Because V. angustifolium is predominantly outcrossing and self-fertility is poor due to early- acting inbreeding depression, one of the factors that will be investigated is genetic relationship with neighboring clones. EST-PCR markers will be used to genotype clones and determine relationship (genetic similarity) to other clones. Crosses will be made between high yielding clones and other clones in the field that have clearly different similarity values. The same will be done with low yielding clones. In this way, it will be determined if genetic relationship affects yield. In addition, 4-5 clones in the immediate vicinity of each high and low yielder will be genotyped. The average similarity value between each focal high and low yielder and its neighbors will be determined and compared. Other factors will be compared between high and low yielding clones including synchrony of flowering time with neighbors, freezing tolerance of closed flower buds and open flowers, flower morphology, signs of disease, etc.