Lecture 7
Blueberries & cranberries are in the family Ericaceae. What are the general characteristics? What are the characteristics of cranberry?
-Favours acidic soils
-No root hair > get nutrients from ericoid mycorrhizae (fungal association)
-Pollen shed from terminal pores
Cranberry:
-creeping evergreen shrub with fibrous, shallow root system (2.5-7.5 cm, susceptible to drought)
-Favours wet, boggy area
-Horizontal stems (1st yr), then uprights (2nd yr) which bears fruit only once
-Apical bud on uprights Feb ~ July
-Flowering ~30 days after spring budbreak
Explain the genetic background of strawberry
Strawberry:
Family Rosaceae
Fragaria x ananassa (F. chiloensis x F. virginiana)
Polyploidy: 2n = 14 ~ 8n = 56
Explain the taxonomy, breeding systems, and breeding priorities of blueberries. What are the four major species?
Taxonomy
Family: Ericaceae
Genus: Gaylussacia = huckleberries, Vaccinium = blueberries
V. cyanococcus = blueberries
4 economically important species:
1. V. angustfolium (4x) = lowbush (wild) blueberries
2. V. darrowii (2x)
3. V. corymbosum (4x) = highbush blueberries
4. V. virgatum (6x) = Rabbiteye (native to SE US)
Breeding system: Outcrossing, perfect flower, self-fertile (believed to be early-acting inbreeding depression), 4n = larger population required for genetic diversity, lower chances for recessive phenotypes
Breeding priorities: (based on costs) stiffness, same fruiting period, easy pruning, more yield; (quality) resistance to bruising, longer shelf life, consumer acceptance
Explain grape and wine production trends.
Grape and wine productions have been growing exponentially in the past
30-40 years in Canada.
-$6B in 2011 -> $11.5B in 2019 (70% increase)
-638 wineries, 30,000 acres nationwide
-33% (4152 acres) in BC
List how yield and productivity is normally indicated in vineyards.
1. Yield to crop size = amount of fruit/plant or unit of area
2. Crop load = crop size/pruning (leaf area/canopy)
Explain the root, vegetative, and reproductive growth of blueberry.
Roots:
-fine, shallow roots with no root hair
-2 peaks of root growth in the year
-minimal lateral transport
Vegetative:
-vegetative buds (smaller, lower) & flower buds (bigger, upper)
-Most shoots from dormant buds from last year
-Apical meristem grows periodically with 2-3 flushes in a year (southern originated varieties have more & later flushes)
Reproductive:
-Flower bud initiation from the shoot tip basipetally in the fall (# of flower buds affects the yield next year)
-More light, more flower buds
-Chilling hours = 800-1200 hr at temp 0-7 oC
* In Lower Mainland, there is not enough time for flower bud initiation with shorter photoperiod varieties (e.g. PP 10 hours = Halloween in LM) before dormancy.
Explain the genetic background of the raspberry
Originated in E Europe & N Asia; cold, temperate
Rubus idaeus & Rubus strigosus
Explain the breeding history of blueberries (no specific dates); also what you can say about genomic resources for different berries?
How have climatic conditions in Canada affected grape production?
-favorable for Vitis vinifera production, GDD = 900-1800 for grapevines in BC
-thermal needs:
Winter: T > -15 °C
Spring: T> -3-0 °C @ budbreak, T> 2.5 °C @ blooming
Summer: T <40 °C
-Extremely low winter temperatures pose a challenge
-GDD in the same region largely vary among seasons; Okanagan has more GDD, Vancouver has less GDD
-Precipitation in the Okanagan Valley is low
-A temperature too low can damage the plants, while a temperature too high can impair fruit quality
-2 °C in crease btw 1970-2019 in BC > increase in GDD
Outline the grapevine yield components and the critical period in which each of them is determined.
# of plants/area -> planting
# of buds/vine -> winter pruning
# of shoots/bud -> budbreak
# of cluster/shoot or # of flower/cluster -> inflorescence initiation
# of berries/cluster -> fruit set
berry weight -> maturity
Explain the flowering development of blueberry and how it is related to the cold temperature.
-Flower bud dormancy & initiation co-occur
-Spring bloom tied to chill requirement to break dormancy & base temp for development
-Inflorescences at tips of 1 yo wood emerge first
-Terminal flower matures first at each cluster
-Cold hardiness of bluberries vary at different growth stages (e.g. flower bud development can tolerate colder temp (-12 ~ -4oC); as flower development proceeds, cold hardiness decreases (-5 ~ 0oC))
Compare & contrast the general anatomy of the strawberry & raspberry.
Strawberry: perennial herb with short, thickened stem (crown); mostly propagated vegetatively
Leaves: trifoliate with long petioles, arranged spirally along the crown
Inflorescence: cyme, leafless peduncle
Stolons = runners, vegetatively propagated
Root: primary & secondary roots for nutrient uptake & carb storage
Raspberry:
Perennial root, extensive root systems
Biennial shoots (canes) = primocane (vegetative) + floricane (fruit); adventitious, can be vegetatively propagated
Crown + root buds
Fruit borne laterals from the central cane
Explain the taxonomy, breeding systems, and breeding priorities of cranberries.
Family: Ericaceae
Genus & section: Vaccinium oxycoccus (2n, 4n, 6n)
Cultivated: Vaccinium macrocarpon = 2n, NE US & SE Canada to N California
History: recently domesticated in the 19th century, USDA started breeding program in the early 20th century
Breeding system: 2n = 24, self-compatible, clonally propagated, inbreeding depression is minor
Breeding priorities:
-return bloom for yield stability
-earliness to ease harvesting
-rot resistance
-low acidity for fresh market
Explain the characteristics of Canadian wine.
Canadian Icewine is renowned worldwide (signature product). High
quality table and sparkling (fast-growing segment) wines are produced in
all provinces and have obtained international recognitions.
Describe what are the major (endogenous and exogenous factors that
determine the yield.
1. Endogenous: genotype
2. Exogenous:
Environment: soil, water, nutrients, weather
Cultural practices: pruning, canopy management, irrigation, pest management
Compare & contrast fruit abscission of blueberry & cranberry
Blueberry:
-abscission btw pedicel & peduncle (main flower stem)
-no abscission btw pedicel & fruit > where stem scar occurs, rotting & dehydration happen
Cranberry:
-ripen fruit does not fall off plant
-In wet harvest, machine beats plants to detach fruit in a flooded bog > harvest when fruits float (higher bouyancy than water due to big locules filled with air)
Compare & contrast the floral/fruit anatomy of the strawberry & raspberry.
Strawberry
Flower: mostly white flowers, petals + sepals, self-fertile, enlarged receptacle
Fruit: aggregate of achenes, accessory fruit (receptacle)
Raspberry
Flower: a large receptacle left behind
Fruit: aggregate of drupelets (receptacle intact)
Explain the taxonomy, breeding systems, and breeding priorities of strawberries.
Taxonomy:
Family: Rosaceae
Subfamily: Rosoideae
Genus: Fragaria (2-10x worldwide)
Fragaria x anannasa = cultivation in the 17th century in France, a hybrid of F. virginiana & F. chiloensis (native cultivation in Chile)
History:
Early varieties were short day "Junebearing"
Long day "Everbearing" varieties in the late 19th century
Day-neutral varieties became the mainstream of NA production
Germplasm split into 2 groups: Coastal (Pacific) & Temperate (E NA & Europe)
Breeding system: 8n, wild species dioecious, selected for perfect flowers & self-fertility, most clonally propagated
Breeding priorities:
-Replacing long-day Albion in BC, due to poor yields & lack of winter hardiness
-Fill in the summer production gap (most being late Junebearing type)
-Resistance to soil-borne diseases
What are the challenges of wine production in Canada
Despite climate change might have facilitated an expansion of the
Canadian wine industry, it still poses many challenges related to climate
extremes in both winter and summer months.
Explain the yield compensation principle.
Predict yield in a vineyard.
Yield compensation principle = one component increase leads to a decrease in the other component; non-proportional changes in yield
More buds -> less shoots, berries, berry weight
More clusters-> less berries & berry weight
More berries -> less berry weight
Yield/ha = # of vine/ha x average # of clusters/vine x cluster weight
Explain the 3 phases in blueberry fruiting development.
(After bloom)
Phase 1 (25-35 days) Rapid cell division, grow 50% total volume, berry = green & hard
Phase 2 (30-40 days) development of embryo, little change in berry size
Phase 3 (30-60 days) rapid increase in berry volume due to cell expansion, berries turn blue
Compare & contrast the development of the strawberry & raspberry.
Strawberry: Top growth dies back in winter, crowns stop shoot growth. Growth resumes in spring as temp increases
Short-day vs long-day vs day-neutral
Floral initiation: low temp + short days
Vegetative: High temp + long days
Raspberry:
Primocane vs floricane cycles in production
Explain the taxonomy, breeding systems, and breeding priorities of raspberries.
Taxonomy:
Family: Rosaceae, subfamily: Rosoideae
Genus: Rubus
Subgenus: Idaeobatus (raspberries), Rubus (blackberries)
Rubus idaeus = commercial raspberries, 2n
Breeding history: cultivation started in the 4th century, modern cultivars developed after 1900s; early cultivars were hybrids btw EU & US; 137 varieties btw 1960-1990; "Lloyd George" present in 80% of all varieties
Breeding system:
Wild raspberries = entirely self-incompatible
Cultivated raspberries = perfect-flowered, self-compatible, highly heterozygous, inbreeding depression & reduced fertility (not affect the yield)
Breeding objectives:
-Machine-harvestable
-resistance to pests & diseases (root rot, raspberry bushy dwarf virus, aphids)
-other favourable traits
Compare and contrast the regional variations in Canadian wine production
Nova Scotia: 3% of total production acreage, cold maritime climate > only cold-resistant NA hybrids grown (70%), V. vinifera (30%); appellation wine (legally protected)
challenges = vigour control, diseases, cold damage
Quebec: 8% of total, low winter temperatures, 80 % cold-resistant hybrids, 20 % V. Vinifera
challenges = extreme cold dormant season, spring & fall frosts, short growing season
Ontario: 53% of total acreage, continental warmer climate, precipitation during summer triggers diseases, low winter temp; mostly V. vinifera (65%), hybrids (35%) as insurance crop in case of extreme cold winter; table wines, sparkling wines, Icewine
challenges = extreme cold dormant season, weather extremes, pests & diseases
BC: ~13,000 accres, 900-1600 GDD, 800 growers, $3.75B economic impact, dry climate in Okanagan is suitable, low precipitation in summer, low winter temperatures, 98% V. vinifera, table wines, sparkling, Icewine
challenges = climate change (wildfire), pests & diseases, dormant season cold
85% wine production in BC is in Okanagan Valley
How genetic & environmental factors influence yield components
# of inflorescence/bud: genotype, light, PS, optimal temp, leaf area, soil conditions
# of flowers/cluster: soil conditions & nutrients, starch reserves, optimal temp
# of flowers that set fruit: soil moisture, light, leaf area, PS, nutrients, reserves, optimal temp
berry size: # of cell divisions, the extent of expansion, carbon supply, nutrients & water, # of seeds, optimal temp