While most people already know I’m a UCF man through and through (go Knights!), our Annual Blueberry Roundup Edition tends to bring out some pride in the orange and blue. That’s because the University of Florida and the state’s blueberry industry are inextricably linked in more ways than most people know. The bottom line is that if you’re a fan of fresh blueberries, you’re most likely a fan of the work done by UF researchers.
Across Florida, there are an estimated 5,700 acres dedicated to the fruit, but that wasn’t always the case. Rabbiteye blueberries were cultivated in Florida in the early 20th century, but competition with northern blueberry-producing states that were better suited for that cultivar discouraged production this far south.
That’s where UF comes in. The UF/IFAS blueberry breeding program started in the 1940s to develop cultivars that would work well in Florida — meaning they need fewer chill hours and an earlier ripening window to give growers an edge. The result was southern highbush cultivar, which was a game changer for the Florida commercial blueberry production industry.
Since 2005, almost all of the blueberries planted in the state have been southern highbush cultivars developed by UF/IFAS. The program’s ongoing research strives to create cultivars that are viable in the different regions of the state.
Now, as labor challenges make mechanical harvesting increasingly attractive, the breeding program is branching out to create berries that are more compatible with machine harvesters.
For this month’s Edition Feature, we spoke with blueberry growers around the state to find out how they fared this harvest season. (Spoiler alert: You’ll be cheering for the old orange and blue, too, when you learn how the season went!)