Blueberries for the True Tropics

[agroventuresperu]

I was looking at some plant lists of what can grow in acidic soil, and blueberry popped out at me, because the chart said its low end begins at 4.0pH, which is pretty darn acidic.

In Peru, they actually cultivate blueberries in the coastal region. They even find their way to the local markets here in Rioja. I really don't know much about the technicalities of how they're doing it. Yet, I assume that whatever cultivars they're using would probably be successful here in the jungle. We're about 5-6 degrees from the equator and blessed with acidic soil. Before we planted our property, we sent a few soil samples from various spots to the local lab. The lowest reading we got back was 4.76 and the highest 5.06

Edit: Just started reading a Peruvian thesis. Apparently the cultivar, "Biloxi" accounts for 90% of the commercial production in Peru.

[agroventuresperu]

Here's an excerpt from the report:

3.3.1 Cultivares libres

‘Biloxi’: adaptado muy bien a las condiciones ambientales del Perú. No requiere un mínimo
de horas frío. Es de producción temprana. Tiene fruta de tamaño mediano a grande, de color
azul claro, muy firme, jugosa y de excelente sabor. La planta es de hábito erecto, vigorosa y
productiva. Tiene como desventaja que presenta de 5 a 10 % de descarte en la exportación y
el desprendimiento de la fruta en la cosecha no es bueno.

‘Misty’: no tiene requerimiento de horas frío, fruto de buen calibre, azul claro, firme, carnosa
y de excelente sabor. Produce fruta muy temprano. La planta tiene hábito de crecimiento
erecto y arbustivo hasta 1.8 metros. Aun cuando es una variedad autofértil tiene frutas de
calibre grande.

3.3.2 Cultivares protegidos
‘Emerald’:
muestra un gran potencial de vigorosidad y producción en el Perú. Sin
requerimientos de horas frío. La fruta es grande (18-20 mm), firme, azul claro, con excelente
sabor y una pequeña cicatriz. Tiene un alto porcentaje de autopolinización. Resistente a
Phytophthora cinnamomi. Requiere un manejo de poda, pH y conductividad eléctrica (CE)
diferente a ‘Biloxi’.

‘Ventura’:
es un arbusto alto que produce fruta grande, firme con piel más gruesa que
‘Springhigh’ y de color más claro. La planta es erecta, vigorosa, con rendimientos altos en
costa y sierra del Perú y de maduración temprana. Para su buen desarrollo no tiene
requerimientos de horas frío.

PDF link to the report: https://repositorio.lamolina.edu.pe/bitstream/handle/20.500.12996/4981/orga-porras-julian.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

[pagnr]

https://www.amazon.com/Alternative-Crops-Drylands-Proactively-Shortages/dp/0988282208

Is that your book ? Looks pretty interesting.

[Galatians522]

We had trouble with Misty dying of disease and or from over production. Emerald can be a little more tart in Flavor bit the berries are large. However, I believe that is what you report was saying. We never grew Biloxi or Ventura here in Florida, so I do not know about them.

[elouicious]

also might be worth sourcing neotropical blueberries if you can get your hands on them, agapetes, macleania, disterigma etc.

[Epicatt2]

also might be worth sourcing neotropical blueberries if you can get your hands on them, agapetes, macleania, disterigma etc.

There is this well-documented native bluberry species of the highlands of Costa Rica:
Vaccinium consanguineum

A friend of mine living adjacent to the Jardín Botánico Lankester in Paraiso, Costa Rica
is growing one in her garden.

Though not so far taken in hand for breeding studies, this species, V. consanguineum may
well be a prime candidate for the OP of this topic, making it likely to be useful as a parent
to breed with N. American Vacciniums to develop strains suitable for his altitude in Perú

Its range includes the highland páramo of Costa Rica, western Panamá, and other highland
areas of Central America and México.

OK — HTH

Paul M.
==