A COMPARISON OF FRUIT OF HIGHBUSH AND RABBITEYE BLUEBERRY CULTIVARS¹

Abstract

In 1986In , 1988In and 1989, fmit from highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L., cvs Collins, Bluecrop, and Herbert) and rabbiteye blueberry (V. ashei Reade, cvs Climax, Tifblue, and Menditoo) grown at the same location were compared for size, raw product qualify, storage, and sensory attributes. Compared with rabbiteye blueberry fruit, fruit of highbush cvs were generally larger in size, volume, and surface area and higher in titratable acidity, higher Hunter color attributes of 'L ', 'a ' , 'b ', and chroma, protein, P, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, B (dry wt. basis), and higher in decay and water loss after 3 weeks storage at 7 C. Rabbiteye fruit, compared with highbush fruit, were generally higher in pulp pH, percent soluble solids, percent dry matter, seed weight per fruit, weight per seed, fruit height/width ratio, periderm dry weight per fruit, periderm wt. per suflace area (in mg/cm2), sugaracid ratio, firmness (as shear), and in sensory seediness. Fruit soluble solids, dry matter, hue, titratable acidity, pulp pH, and firmness of borh species were influenced by weather (years).

Volatile, anthocyanidin, quality and sensory changes in rabbiteye blueberry from whole fruit through pilot plant juice processing

“…The initial °Brix level in the ‘Tifblue’ fruit was 12.7 ± 0.5 (Table ). This was within range or slightly lower than commonly reported values for RAB. Heat treatment and enzymatic liquefaction possessing increased markedly °Brix levels, with the unfiltered (NCP) juices having the significantly highest levels measured.…”

“…There was no consistent trend observed with regard to pH changes from the initial fruit (3.12 ± 0.06), or as filtered versus non‐filtered stored juices. Initial acid levels (0.32 ± 0.01) approximated those found in other ‘Tifblue’ . Both pasteurized juices (NCP and CJP) had significantly higher TA after 4 months storage (Table ).…”

“…Consumer dissatisfaction with flavor seems common in shelf‐stable and/or new to the market flash pasteurized juices and smoothies containing some ‘superfruits’ . Few articles are published illustrating the volatile compounds in RAB blueberries and studies are scant regarding relationships between flavor volatiles and bitter/astringent compounds, processing, and sensory attributes related to RAB blueberries …”

Fruit size and picking scar size in some blueberry commercial cultivars and hybrid plants grown in SW Spain

“…The study of the fruits of five rabbiteye and nine southern highbush cultivars grown in the same farm in SW Spain does not allow to separate both groups, which is not in agreement with the observations by Makus & Morris (1993) on three highbush, and three rabbiteye cultivars grown in Arkansas (USA), as these authors indicated that the fruit of highbush cultivars are generally larger, and have a wider scar than those of rabbiteye cultivars. In the present study, although a rabbiteye cultivar (Premier) stands apart from all the others for its biggest fruits, the differences between both groups of cultivars (rabbiteye and highbush) are not significant.…”

“…The studies by Makus & Morris (1993) contradicted that there are no comprehensive comparative studies of fruit characters of commercial blueberry cultivars of highbush and rabbiteye groups – grown simultaneously at the same locality and along several years – neither in USA nor in Europe.…”