ASSESSMENT OF SELF-FERTILITY OF BLUEBERRY VARIETIES IN THE CONDITIONS OF BELARUS

Abstract

The results of a three-year study of the self-fertility of 15 varieties of highbush blueberry and one variety of lowbush blueberry are presented. The fruiting indicators (berry setting, average berry weight, average number of seeds per berry) in case of most self-pollinating highbush blueberry varieties, as a rule, are lower than with natural cross-pollination. In accordance with the average indicators of fruit set during self-pollination of flowers, blueberry varieties are ranked into five groups corresponding to the degree of self-fertility. The Spartan, Toro and Sunrise highbush blueberry varieties have a high degree of self-fertility, the best of which in terms of fruiting parameters are Spartan and Toro. Good indicators of selffertility under conditions of self-pollination were demonstrated by the Nui variety. Most of the studied blueberry varieties are characterized by unstable self-fertility rates. The Bonus and Putte varieties are classified as self-infertile taxa.