Abstract
Wild lowbush blueberry fields are characterized by high genetic diversity, with a large number of genotypes coexisting in every field. Yield also varies among genotypes, which could be related to the variation in physiological and structural traits, but this has not been rigorously tested. In this study, we aimed to quantify the inter-genotype variation in yield, as well as leaf and stem functional traits, and to establish the relationship between functional traits and yield-related traits in wild blueberries. To do so, we carried out a study during the 2019 harvest season measuring structural and functional traits including stem number, stem length, stem diameter, leaf chlorophyll concentration, leaf mass area, leaf area per stem, leaf number per stem, number of branches per stem, leaf temperature, soil temperature, and soil water content and yield data including yield, berry size (weight of 100 berries), number of berries per stem, and length of berry cluster from two wild blueberry farms. We found high variations in structural, functional, and yield-related traits among genotypes, but not between two fields. We also found negative associations of the leaf mass per unit area and midday leaf temperature with the yield, whereas the leaf chlorophyll concentration was positively associated with the yield. Additionally, we found a quadratic relationship between yield-related traits (weight of 100 berries, number of berries per stem, and length of berry cluster) and stem length, with the optimum stem length for yield at 25 cm. Our results suggest that several leaf and stem functional traits are related with yield-related traits; thereby, those traits can be used to predict wild blueberry yields. Our findings could help growers and breeders select better-yielding genotypes based on structural and functional traits.
Highlights
Wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) is an important crop of Maine, USA, Quebec, and maritime Canada
We found significant differences between the two fields for stem structural traits including the stem number per plot (StemN) and stem length (StemL) but not for the stem diameter (StemD)
We found a high variation in soil water content in the Wyman & Son (Wyman’s) field (Table 2), which suggests the heterogeneity of environmental factors within the field
Summary
Wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) is an important crop of Maine, USA, Quebec, and maritime Canada. It mostly reproduces by obligate cross-pollination [1]. A patch of stems with identical genetic information is called a genotype or clone with a different genetic make-up than other wild blueberry genotypes [3]. There are significant differences in morphology, structural and functional traits, physiological performance, and yield [4–6]. Crop yield is regulated by several genes named quantitative trait loci and is influenced by external environmental factors [7]. Yield is indirectly determined by several morphological and physiological traits [7]. The high intergenotype variations in structural and physiological traits can indirectly impact the overall yield of wild blueberries, but the associations have not been established
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