Inheritance of Fruit Development Interval and Fruit Size in Blueberry Progenies

Progenies from crosses among 17 highbush ( Vaccinium corymbosum L.), lowbush ( V. angustifolium Ait.), and V. corymbosum/V. angustiforium hybrid parents were evaluated in 1983 and 1984 of dates for 50% bloom and 50% ripe fruit, length of the fruit development interval, and berry weight. Additive genetic variance was more important than nonadditive genetic variance, based on general combining ability (GCA) variance components. Heritability estimates were moderately high (0.44-0.78) for all traits. GCA effects were largely dependent on the parents’ ancestry. A long fruit development interval was not necessarily associated with large fruit size. Selection for large fruit size, late bloom period, early ripening, and short fruit development interval in this population should be successful. Parental phenotype should be indicative of relative progeny performance.