The blueberry is a shrub native to North America, the United States and Canada, where it is called blueberry. The main producers are the United States and Canada, in North America, Poland and Germany, in Europe, and Chile and Argentina, in South America. In Brazil, the culture is recent and little known, being the first collection introduced by Embrapa Clima Temperado in 1983. The main cultivation regions are in Rio Grande do Sul, mainly in Campos de Cima da Serra (Vacaria) and the Pelotas region.
Blueberries are a small berry, weighing one to two grams and blue-purple in color. It has functional and nutraceutical properties, as it is rich in antioxidant compounds, being considered the fruit of longevity and helps, according to literature, in the prevention of diseases, including cancer. Other interesting aspects are the low incidence of pathogens and the high need for labor for harvesting. This characteristic, associated with the different possibilities for commercializing the fruit, such as in natura, in the form of juice, yogurt, jelly, pulp, etc., has aroused the interest of several producers, especially small properties that wish to produce in alternative systems, such as agroecological or organic.
The blueberry tree needs acidic soils, with a pH in water between 4 and 5,5, sandy or sandy loam, with good drainage and porosity. It has a superficial root system, with thin roots and no root hairs. Regarding the climate, the main factor to be taken into account is the availability of cold hours below 7,2ºC in the region and the cultivars' requirements. Cultivars from the Rabbiteye group adapt to low-cold regions (around 300 chilling hours), while those from the Highbush group adapt to colder regions (around 650-800 chilling hours), which generally coincide with those at higher altitudes. . In higher regions, with a high number of chilling hours (more than 500 chilling hours), more demanding cultivars can be planted. On the other hand, in low-lying regions, with less than 200 hours of cold, blueberries do not adapt well and poor budding and flowering may occur, causing low production. It is a demanding crop in terms of water supply, making it essential to use an irrigation system, preferably drip. Blueberries require up to 50mm of water weekly during the fruit development period.
The most commonly used forms of propagation are herbaceous or semi-herbaceous cuttings, with the application of growth regulators, generally indolebutyric acid (IBA), with the concentration varying depending on the cultivar and time of year. According to research results, several substrates can be used, the most common are medium-sized sand and sawdust, the first of which can achieve a rooting rate, for some cultivars, above 90% when associated with IBA. Generally, propagation is carried out in an agricultural greenhouse with intermittent nebulization irrigation, using water preferably with a pH lower than 7. In general, after 120 days the root system forms, at which point the cuttings are transferred to a screen for acclimatization. and seedling formation.
The main blueberry cultivars available in Brazil are O'neal, Misty, Georgiagem and BlueCrisp, from the Highbush group, and Powderblue, Woodard, Bluegem, Briteblue, Climax, Delite, Aliceblue and Bluebelle from the Rabbiteye group (Table 1), with the recommendation being variable cultivar with the edaphoclimatic characteristics of the region in which you want to plant.
In general, management is similar to other fruit trees, however, with some different agricultural practices. Requires addition of organic material in areas with low organic matter content. It is a demanding crop in terms of fertility. Special attention must be paid to nitrogen, especially during the initial development of plants. To control invasives, the mulching in the planting line. Some studies have also demonstrated the efficiency of cultivation in a protected environment, with its main contributions being protection against climatic adversities and reducing the use of agrochemicals. In Brazil, its cultivation is carried out in the field, presenting a low incidence of pests and diseases, adapting to the organic production system. In this sense, among the techniques being tested by research is cultivation in a protected environment, to minimize the effects of climate elements, such as rain and wind. In this environment, we seek to approximate the ideal conditions for the development of the species, enabling the expression of the species' maximum potential. In places where the climate is the limiting factor, it allows the crop to be protected against frost, hail and greater protection against pathogens.
Preliminary work with blueberries, cultivar Powderblue, grown in pots demonstrates increased production compared to field cultivation. On the other hand, the Bluegem and Climax cultivars showed no difference in production when using protected cultivation. In both cultivars mentioned, the phytochemical characteristics of the fruits (antioxidant activity, anthocyanins, phenolic compounds, soluble solids) were maintained, thus indicating that the protection system can be advantageous, but it depends on each cultivar used and the climatic conditions prevailing in each cycle. productive. Although some research results point to advantages with the use of protected cultivation, currently, in Brazil, only field cultivation is carried out without protection.
The market for blueberries and other fruits with similar characteristics is growing worldwide. In Brazil it is no different, with the increase in people's purchasing power and consumers' search for foods that bring health benefits, there has been a great stimulus to consumption. Therefore, as supply is still small, the price paid to the producer is relatively high. In 2013, the amount paid per kilo of blueberries, by the consumer, at Ceasa in Porto Alegre ranged from R$ 18,00 to R$ 52,00 (Figure 1). It is noted that the price is high at the beginning of the harvest, drops during the harvest and remains low for approximately a month after the end of the harvest. The relatively low price in the first month after the harvest can be explained by the volume of production that remains stored in cold storage.
Among the species known as small fruits, which include strawberries, blackberries and raspberries, blueberries have the greatest potential for cold storage. However, several precautions during harvest are necessary so that post-harvest conservation is maximized, such as: avoiding mechanical damage to the fruits, harvesting during the coolest hours of the day, not harvesting immediately after heavy rains, harvest the fruits directly from the marketing packaging and, depending on the cultivar, the harvest may be carried out in five or six times, as the fruits ripen unevenly.
Figure 1 - Production distribution of the Powderblue cultivar and average price paid by Ceasa de Porto Alegre in the 2013 harvest
Table 1 - Phenological characteristics of blueberry cultivars
Main Dishes Cultivars | Group | Need for cold (cold hours) | Phenology | |
Beginning of maturation | End of maturation | |||
Misty | Highbush | 150 - 200 | Mid-October | End of November |
O'Neal | 400 - 500 | Mid-October | End of November | |
Georgiagem | 350 - 400 | Mid-October | End of November | |
Bluebelle | Rabbiteye | 400 | Beginning of December | End of January |
Bluegem | 400 | Beginning of December | End of January | |
Briteblue | 400 | Beginning of December | End of January | |
Climax | 650 | End of November | End of January | |
Delite | - | Mid-December | Mid January | |
Powderblue | 300 - 400 | Mid-December | End of January | |
woodard | 650 | Mid-December | End of January | |
Main Dishes
Cultivars
Group
Need for cold (cold hours)
Phenology
Beginning of maturation
End of maturation
Misty
Highbush
150 - 200
Mid-October
End of November
O'Neal
400 - 500
Mid-October
End of November
Georgiagem
350 - 400
Mid-October
End of November
Bluebelle
Rabbiteye
400
Beginning of December
End of January
Bluegem
400
Beginning of December
End of January
Briteblue
400
Beginning of December
End of January
Climax
650
End of November
End of January
Delite
-
Mid-December
Mid January
Powderblue
300 - 400
Mid-December
End of January
woodard
650
Mid-December
End of January
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