1. Indigocrisp and Other SHB Selections from the UF-IFAS Breeding Program
Dr. Jim Olmstead
February 20, 2014

2. 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

3. UF Variety Release
Release justification presented to Departmental and IFAS cultivar release committees.
After release, Florida Foundation Seed Producers, Inc. handles commercialization for the University of Florida.

4. 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 the breeding program: salary, students, and infrastructure

5. IndigocrispTM
‘FL98-325’ – (USPPAF)

6. FL (IndigocrispTM)
FL is an early maturing crisp-textured genotype best adapted to areas with chilling requirements similar to or higher than Gainesville, FL. The key positive attributes for FL are:
Very firm, crisp texture similar to Bluecrisp and Sweetcrisp
Earlier maturing than either Bluecrisp or Sweetcrisp
Higher yields than existing crisp textured genotypes
Potential for machine harvest for fresh market production
Reduced postharvest bruising or pathogen damage
Good flavor and size
Good vegetative budbreak with high crop loads

7. FL 98-325 (IndigocrispTM) Potential problems with FL 98-325:
Higher chill requirement means limited potential in expanding production areas in Florida (I-4 south).
Propagation by softwood stem cuttings has often resulted in low rooting percentages.
Susceptible to Botryosphaeria stem blight.
Darker fruit color

8. 11/27/2012

9. 1/30/2013
4/2/2012

11. 11/27/2012

12. Field Ratings (2011-2013) 50% Bloom Harvest Genotype Date (DOY) Timing
50% Bloom
Harvest
Genotype
Date (DOY)
Timing
Surv.
Yield
Leaf.
Size
Color
Scar
Firm.
Flavor FL 44
Early-mid 7 8 6 9
Emerald 37
Mid-late
Scintilla 31
Star 49
Mid
Sweetcrisp 41
Late 5
Farthing 45
Meadowlark 34
Early
Primadonna 4

13. Lab Ratings (2013) Avg. Berry % Titrat. % Soluble SS/TA Firmness
Genotype
Wt. (g)
Acidity
Solids
Ratio
(g/mm) FL
2.55 ± 0.30
0.333 ± 0.04
12.1 ± 0.64
36.7 ± 6.0
± 4.8
Emerald
2.54 ± 0.11
0.810 ± 0.16
12.0 ± 0.70
15.3 ± 4.0
± 3.5
Scintilla
0.599 ± 0.20
10.9 ± 2.55
20.0 ± 10.9
± 7.1
Star
2.86 ± 0.43
0.646 ± 0.05
12.4 ± 0.42
19.2 ± 0.7
± 7.6
Sweetcrisp
2.07 ± 0.25
0.556 ± 0.03
14.1 ± 0.14
25.4 ± 1.6
± 6.1
Farthing
2.24 ± 0.18
0.606 ± 0.07
11.8 ± 0.21
19.5 ± 2.5
± 7.9
Meadowlark
2.94 ± 0.02
0.402 ± 0.01
10.8 ± 0.92
26.8 ± 2.5
± 12.9

14. Consumer Evaluation of Crisp Texture

15. Consumer Evaluation of Crisp Texture

16. Additional Information
Mehra et al Postharvest disease development on southern highbush blueberry fruit in relation to berry flesh type and harvest method. Plant Dis. 97:
Machine harvested fruit with crisp texture (including FL ) had the same or lower postharvest disease incidence as hand harvested conventional texture fruit
Takeda et al Techniques for increasing machine harvest efficiency in southern highbush and rabbiteye blueberry. HortTechnology 23:
FL had the highest packout percentages after machine harvest (94% - similar to hand harvest)

17. Foundation Stock
MTA (AgriStarts, Inc.) allows for the initiation and propagation of FL prior to license offerings.
Initiation completed winter , multiplication stage currently
Initial budwood distribution will be limited. Breeder stock is maintained at the PSREU at Citra.
Contact Florida Foundation Seed Producers for license information

18. Summary
FL is an early-maturing, crisp genotype which will add another machine harvest for fresh market suitable variety to the short list currently available to Southeastern blueberry growers.
Unreliable propagation has been the biggest difficulty in the past. We hope to minimize this problem by making tissue culture plantlets available at the time licenses are offered.
FL consistently ranks higher in yield than other crisp-textured genotypes, and the sugar/acid ratio beats many current varieties.

19. Dec. 2013
Jan. 2014

20. Feb. 2014
Feb after H.C.

21. Total pounds/week for 5 bushes (3-yr old planting)
Harvest Timing
Total pounds/week for 5 bushes (3-yr old planting)
Week of Year
FLSel01
Jewel 5
3.00 6 7
1.19 8
0.88 9 10
3.63 11
2.75 12
5.38 13
3.76 14
4.32
5.69 15
4.82
8.45 16
2.69
16.7 17
3.44
4.50 18
4.19
8.69 19
1.38
Total (Pound/5 bush)
41.43
44.91
Pound/acre (1800 plants)
15,000
16,000

23. UF-IFAS Horticultural Sciences Dept.
Dr. Jim Olmstead
UF-IFAS Horticultural Sciences Dept.
2211 Fifield Hall
Gainesville, FL 32611
(352)