The varieties of blueberries with the greatest commercial potential

11/07/2017

In the country new varieties are evaluated, which until now have shown dissimilar results from the productive and commercial point of view.

Cranberries need changes. Quality problems in some markets, seen in recent seasons, reactivate the need to accelerate the varietal change in a significant number of orchards in the country. In fact, it is estimated that these days more than 70% of the volume produced by Chile corresponds to old varieties.

The idea is that the new varieties will achieve fruit with greater firmness, caliber, intensity in the bloom and quality in general, but that at the same time they will show more precocious and above all more productive in the orchard, and ideally achieve yields of , at least, 20 tons per hectare.

According to the experts, the key to make a suitable varietal reconversion is to know very well the place where it will be produced and to be clear about the time in which it is sought to harvest.

"The earliest varieties should be produced, in coastal areas, from the central valley to the sea, while the later ones from the central valley to the mountain range“, explains Rodrigo Cazanga, doctor in Ecophysiology.

There is a consensus among experts that there are a significant number of varieties, such as O'Neal, Jewel and Elliot, which should be replaced. Other arrivals like lastcall, according to Cazanga, should not be worked on in the future. “Both are early (first half of November) and at that time the international market is saturated ... It is best to produce the varieties that are harvested in December, when the market is more attractive", it states.

To date, more than 20 varieties have been brought to the country from programs in Spain, Australia and the United States, driven by universities and private entities. According to the experts, most of these new alternatives stand out in productive performance and firmness of the final product.

Even many of the varieties that are being evaluated have already been exported to various markets, in order to subject them to the judgment of buyers and consumers.

Among those that have had an interesting productive and commercial performance stands out Liberty, a variety of high productivity, late harvest and good post-harvest condition (40 days), which is very well suited to the central and southern areas of the country.

Another that has behaved well has been emerald®, which stands out for being early, vigorous and productive. It adapts very well to areas between 50 and 400 cold hours, with heavy soils or poor drainage. Along the same line, dew stands out, a variety selected in Spain, with a very early harvest. Its fruits are very firm, crispy and with good bloom. Its size is medium-large (2 to 2,5 g).

Among the group of mid-season varieties, draper stands out, which often shows high productivity, harvest concentration and fruits of great firmness, average calibres-

Source: Economy and Business Journal