YIELD FROM HAND AND MECHANICAL HARVESTING OF HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRIES IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

Abstract

Interest in the mechanical harvesting of highbush blueberries in British Columbia is increasing due toexpanding acreage and rising costs of hand harvesting. The blueberry yield from mechanical and hand harvesting overthree entire harvest seasons was assessed using a randomized complete block design. There were no significantdifferences (Tukey-Kramer = 0.05) in the yields from three different mechanical harvesters. The yield reduction ofmechanical harvesters compared with commercial hand-pickers was 16 and 14% in 1997 and 1998 respectively. Yieldreduction in 1996 was measured at 30% but the mechanical harvesters were compared to hand harvesters paid on a perhour basis. This method of payment is not a commercial practice. The green fruit harvested was 4.0% of the mechanicallyharvested yield and 0.35% of hand harvested yield over the three years of study. Comparing the yield of mechanicalharvesting with commercial hand harvesting over an entire season gave the most accurate measure of berry loss (yieldreduction).