Yield and Berry Characteristics of Some Northern Highbush Blueberries Grown at Different Altitudes in Turkey

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the yield and some berry characteristics of eight northern highbush blueberries grown at different altitudes. In this study, two-year-old potted plants of eight highbush blueberry cultivars ('Brigitta', 'Bluecrop', 'Bluejay', 'Earliblue', 'Duke', 'Nelson', 'Patriot', and 'Spartan') planted at four different altitudes (690 m, 440 m, 175 m, and 140 m) with 1.5 x 2.5 m in and between rows and mulched with tea-stalk and pine-straw during 2004-2007. 'Bluecrop' and 'Patriot' gave the highest crown height for all locations. In the highest altitudes (690 m), 'Brigitta' (395 kg/da), 'Bluecrop' (240 kg/da), and 'Patriot' (113 kg/da) gave the highest mean yields. However 'Bluecrop' (356 kg/da), 'Earliblue' (231 kg/da), and 'Brigitta' (202 kg/da) ranked in first three degrees at the lowest altitudes (175 m). 'Spartan' gave the biggest berry (3.78 g) at the highest altitude (690 m), while 'Brigitta' was on the top at other altitudes with 3.46 g, 3.11 g, and 3.32 g. 'Brigitta' (1.94 g), 'Nelson' (2.07 g and 2.05 g), and 'Bluejay' (1.61 g) gave the smallest berries respectively to the altitudes.