An Evaluation of Blueberry Cultivars Grown in Plastic Tunnels in Douglas County, Oregon

Abstract

Growing fruits and vegetables in plastic tunnels is known to accelerate maturity and protect quality. There are several studies on highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) that demonstrate the ability of row covers to advance or delay crop maturity depending on how they are manipulated. Accelerating or delaying harvest time can prove to be very lucrative for producers. However, before producers start putting plastic tunnels over their crops it is important to know how blueberry cultivars will behave when grown under plastic. Six cultivars of southern highbush blueberry and eight cultivars of northern highbush blueberry were grown in a high hoop plastic tunnel for two seasons. Blueberry plants were grown under plastic from February 1 until their harvest was completed each year. After harvest, the plastic covering over the hoops was removed to help the blueberry plants develop fruit buds and meet winter chill requirements. On February 1 the plastic covering was returned to the high hoop tunnel after chilling requirements were met. As expected, fruit maturity dates were 1-3 weeks earlier for all the highbush blueberries grown inside the tunnel versus the same cultivars grown outside. The difference in maturity dates between cultivars grown under plastic and outside did change from one year to the next because of variation in the weather. Despite potential for poor pollination of blueberries in plastic tunnels, yields were significantly enhanced for four cultivars when grown under plastic tunnels. ‘Toro’, ‘Nui’, ‘Legacy’, and ‘Misty’ showed yield gains ranging from 1 to 4 times when grown under a plastic tunnel. Seed numbers per fruit were not significantly impacted by growing plants inside our tunnel.