Breeding SHB Cultivars at UF-IFAS

Dr. Jim OlmsteadHorticultural Sciences DepartmentFBGA Fall Meeting – September 19, 2013

UF Blueberry Breeding History• 1950s: Ralph Sharpe begins blueberry

breeding at UF

• 1976: Wayne Sherman and Ralph Sharpe release ‘Sharpblue’ and ‘Flordablue’ – first southern highbush varieties

• 1990s: Plantings increased with improved varieties released by Paul Lyrene.

• 2000s: Rapid expansion of Florida industry

UF Blueberry Breeding Strategy• Recurrent selection

• High density nursery, rapid breeding cycles

• Large parent, cross, and seedling numbers

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Year

• Up to 200 crosses per year• Elite parents (cultivars and

advanced selections)• Top seedling performers• Wild germplasm

UF Blueberry TimelineJa

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UF Blueberry Timeline

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Year

UF Blueberry Timeline

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Year

2009 Stage 1

Stage 1PrecociousEarly maturityLarge sizeGood colorGood stem scarFirmnessFlavor

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Year

2009 Stage 1

2008 Stage 2

2007 Stage 2

Stage 2SurvivalChill adaptationCrop potentialEarly maturityLarge sizeGood colorGood stem scarFirmnessFlavor

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Year

2006 Stage 3

2007 Stage 3

2008 Stage 3

2009 Stage 3

Stage 3 – Cooperator trial• 200+/year• 15 plant plots• Survivability

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Advanced Selection Trial Sites

Windsor/Waldo, FL

Haines City, FL

Citra, FL

Arcadia, FL

Interlachen, FL

Stage 4 – • 20/year• 5-50 plant plots• Management systems•Yield trials•Fruit quality measurements

Field Ratings (2011-2013)

50% Bloom Harvest Genotype Date (DOY) Timing Surv. Yield Leaf. Size Color Scar Firm. FlavorProposed 44 Early-mid 7 7 7 8 6 8 9 8Emerald 37 Mid-late 8 8 8 9 7 7 8 6Scintilla 31 Early-mid 7 6 7 8 9 8 7 9

Star 49 Mid 7 6 6 7 7 7 7 7Sweetcrisp 41 Late 9 5 6 5 7 9 9 8

Farthing 45 Mid-late 9 9 5 6 7 9 9 6Meadowlark 34 Early 7 7 7 7 8 6 8 7Primadonna 41 Early-mid 8 4 6 6 6 7 6 8

Lab Ratings (2012)

Avg. Berry % Titrat. % Soluble SS/TA FirmnessGenotype Wt. (g) Acidity Solids Ratio (g/mm)

Proposed 2.41 ± 0.24 0.472 ± 0.16 11.5 ± 0.92 26.6 ± 9.1 247.94 ± 16.9Emerald 2.40 ± 0.21 1.106 ± 0.15 9.1 ± 2.10 8.6 ± 3.4 183.32 ± 17.2Scintilla 2.68 ± 0.26 0.746 ± 0.28 12.8 ± 2.30 19.8 ± 10.1 231.97 ± 6.5

Star 2.28 ± 0.42 0.851 ± 0.23 9.8 ± 2.65 11.9 ± 4.0 217.96 ± 14.7Sweetcrisp 2.31 ± 0.08 0.842 ± 0.07 12.5 ± 1.33 14.9 ± 1.6 262.29 ± 37.5

Farthing 2.34 ± 0.26 0.688 ± 0.13 10.5 ± 1.93 15.8 ± 4.7 230.49 ± 14.2Meadowlark 2.67 ± 0.25 0.461 ± 0.10 11.3 ± 0.68 25.3 ± 5.6 233.06 ± 7.2

Harvest Timing/Yield

Total pounds/week for 5 bushes (3-yr old planting)

Week of Year Selection 1 Selection 2 Jewel5 3.00 0 06 0 0 07 1.19 0 08 0.88 0 09 0 0 0

10 3.63 0.07 011 2.75 0.07 012 5.38 0.44 013 3.76 1.00 014 4.32 5.51 5.6915 4.82 8.57 8.4516 2.69 7.94 16.717 3.44 6.44 4.5018 4.19 11.57 8.6919 1.38 3.38 0.88

Total (Pound/5 bush) 41.43 44.99 44.91Pound/acre (1800 plants) 14,900 16,100 16,100

Sensory Evaluations

Anne Plotto and Liz Baldwin – USDA

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UF Variety Release• Must adhere to current UF-IFAS standards

- Tested in enough replication, locations, years, etc.

- Chain of custody – developmental timeline, MTA agreements

- Foundation stock- Plan for intellectual property protection

and commercialization

UF Variety Release• Cultivar Release Advisory Committee

- Departmental, comprised of research and Extension

• Cultivar Release Committee- IFAS

Once the variety is approved by these two committees it is considered “Released”.

Variety is commercially available only when licenses for propagation have been offered.

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Year

13

UF Variety Release• After release, Florida Foundation Seed

Producers, Inc. handles commercialization for the University of Florida.

• Patent/trademark application filed• Licensing strategy developed• Licenses for propagation in Southeastern U.S.

offered • Upon request for other territories worldwide,

Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) is considered

Royalties

• UF – IFAS policy on release, protection and introduction of plant material:70% of the royalty payment comes directly back to the breeding program

Royalty payments fund personnel, students, and infrastructure

David Norden – Research Coord.Werner Collante – Lab ManagerPaul Lyrene – Professor EmeritusRachel Itle – Postdoctoral Assoc.Sarah Taber – Postdoctoral Assoc.

Patty Rodriguez – PhD StudentGerardo Nunez – PhD StudentJessica Gilbert – PhD StudentCatherine Cellon – MS Student

UF Blueberry Breeding and Genetics

Dr. Jim OlmsteadUF-IFAS Horticultural Sciences Dept.

2211 Fifield HallGainesville, FL 32611

(352) 273-4837http://www.hos.ufl.edu/faculty/jwolmstead