Flower and Fruit Load Influence Blueberry Plant Development and CO2 Exchange Rate

Abstract

Two southern highbush blueberry cultivars, `Sharpblue' and `Misty', were used to investigate the influence of varying flower bud density and fruit load on vegetative development, whole-plant canopy CO2 exchange rate (CER), and leaf CER. Plants were grown in pots and flower buds were removed so that initial flower bud density (fl ower bud number/total cane length) on a whole-plant basis ranged from 0.05–0.35 flower buds/cm. Vegetative budbreak number, leaf area, and leaf area: fruit ratio decreased with increasing flower bud density. In `Sharpblue', whole-plant canopy CER measured at fruit ripening decreased with increasing flower and fruit load and decreasing leaf area:fruit ratio, while leaf CER increased with increasing fruit load and decreasing leaf area:fruit ratio. In `Misty', whole-plant canopy CER measured 4 weeks after full bloom decreased with increasing flower and fruit load, but whole-plant canopy and leaf CER at fruit ripening were similar among the different fruit loads. Average fruit fresh and dry weights increased and the fruit development period decreased with increased leaf area:fruit ratio in both cultivars. These data suggest that carbohydrate source limitations from reduced leaf area development and whole-plant canopy CER lead to decreased fruit fresh and dry weights and delayed ripening in some southern highbush blueberry cultivars.