FC13-083

Blueberry

Variety Description

Varieties used for comparison: 'Legacy' and 'Draper'

Summary: The leaf of 'FC13-083' is ovate shaped whereas the leaf of 'Legacy' is lanceolate shaped and that of 'Draper' is elliptic. The leaf of 'FC13-083' has a serrate margin whereas those of the reference varieties have an entire margin. The corolla tube of 'FC13-083' is urceolate shaped whereas the corolla tube of 'Legacy' is ellipsoid shaped and that of 'Draper' is globose shaped. The colour of the unripe fruit with bloom is light green for 'FC13-083' whereas it is dark green for 'Legacy' and medium to dark green for 'Draper'. The fruit of 'FC13-083'has incurved sepals whereas the fruit of both reference varieties has straight sepals.

Description:

PLANT: strong vigour, upright growth habit, fruiting on one-year-old shoots only, first vegetative bud burst begins early to mid-season
ONE-YEAR-OLD SHOOT: green, short to medium internode length along upper half

LEAF: medium length to width ratio, ovate shape, light green and medium green colour on upper side, absent or weak glaucosity on upper side, serrate margin

FLOWERING: begins early to mid-season on one-year-old shoots
RECEPTACLE: blue
FLOWER BUD: very strong intensity of anthocyanin colouration
COROLLA: urceolate shape
COROLLA TUBE: medium to large, whitish green, absent or weak intensity of anthocyanin colouration on outer side, medium conspicuousness of ridges

INFRUCTESCENCE: medium density
UNRIPE FRUIT: light green (with bloom), fruit ripening begins early to mid season on one-year-old shoots
FRUIT: large, oblate in longitudinal section, deep calyx basin, firm, high sweetness, low to medium acidity
FRUIT SKIN: strong bloom intensity, blue red and dark blue skin (after removal of bloom)
SEPALS: incurved

Origin & Breeding History: 'FC13-083' originated from a controlled cross between the varieties 'ZF06-050', as the female parent, and 'ZF06-013, as the male parent, made in 2010 in Lowell, Oregon, USA. 'FC13-083' was selected from the resulting progeny in 2013 based on yield, fruit size, firmness, colour, and storage quality. Additional propagation was conducted by softwood cuttings and further testing occurred in 2014.

Tests & Trials: The comparative trial for 'FC13-083' was conducted by Expert Agriculture Team Ltd., in Chilliwack, British Columbia, Canada during the 2022 growing season. One year old plants were transplanted in April 2021 into raised beds, covered with plastic and irrigated with drip lines. The plots were arranged in an RBC design with 4 replicates. Each replicate consisted of 3 plants for a total of 12 plants of each variety. Plants were spaced approximately 90 centimetres apart within rows with 3 metres between rows. Measurements were taken from 10 plants or parts of 10 plants of each variety. Mean differences were significant at the 5% confidence probability level based on a paired Student's t-test.

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Blueberry: 'FC13-083' (centre) with reference varieties 'Legacy' (left) and 'Draper' (right)

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Blueberry: 'FC13-083' (centre) with reference varieties 'Legacy' (left) and 'Draper' (right)

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Blueberry: 'FC13-083' (centre) with reference varieties 'Legacy' (left) and 'Draper' (right)