Abstract
Dr. Hollis Bowen of Texas A & M University initiated the first variety trials of rabbiteye blueberry, Vaccinium ashei Reade, at Buna and Magnolia Springs, Texas, in 1966 and 1968, respectively. Performance data by the mid-1970s led to commercial plantings and in the early 1980s the Texas Blueberry Growers Association was formed. Many of the early commercial plantings suffered from chlorosis and poor growth. Soil, leaf tissue, and water quality standards established by Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) provided the benchmark levels associated with good plant growth and production. The Texas Blueberry Marketing Association fractured in the 1990s and reorganized in southeast Texas with 22 growers. Several grower/packer/shipper groups exist today, as well as a viable pick-your-own, roadside, and local sales industry. Current constraints center on frost at bloom, various insect and disease issues, and market difficulties. SFA continues to evaluate new germplasm as part of the USDA's Southern Region Blueberry Germplasm Evaluation Program, and several advanced selections are under consideration for release.
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