Blueberry--variety Nui

Abstract

A blueberry plant which bears large fruit early in the season.

Description

In 1969, seed from a range of blueberry crosses was gifted to Ruakura as a result of an agreement between P. Bates (Ruakura) and A. D. Draper (USDA). The NZ objective was to identify plant material which was more suitable for local conditions. Over a thousand seedlings were initially screened in the first stage evaluation from which forty seedling types were identified as promising. Closer critical examination of these seedlings over several years, resulted in the selection of ten elite types. Seven of these ten seedlings had Earliblue, Blue-crop parentage and characteristically produced early maturing, high quality fruit. The remainder had Berkeley and Blueray parentage and typically produced later maturing fruit. These elite seedlings were planted out in 1982 in a fully replicated trial to determine their commercial usefulness. Puru, Nui and Reka, three elite Ruakura selections, are chance seedlings arising from Earliblue and Bluecrop crosses. They are the product of careful screening and evaluation which has taken place over many years.

COMPARISON OF NUI AND SIMILAR VARIETIES

Nui is very similar to Puru in many respects; however, fundamental physical and physiological differences set them apart as two distinct cultivars. These differences include stem, blossom and fruit characteristics (see detailed descriptions), as well as agronomic differences. For example, Puru typically produces pubescent yellow-green stems while those produced by Nui are completely smooth. Puru produces white, elongated (cylindraceous) flowers with a faint pink blush, while Nui has more rounded flowers (urceolate) and a more pronounced pink blush.

Differences between Nui and the five standard varieties -- Earliblue, Collins, Stanley, Bluecrop and Darrow -- are numerous and therefore are outlined in Tables 1-5. Tables 1 and 5 summarise the main points of similarities and differences while Tables 2-4 summarise agronomic details.

FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate the seasonal nature of fruit production and associated yields in relation to other cultivars, while FIGS. 3-6 provide visual support for the nature of physical differences.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF NUI

Seedling reference: No. 12.

Flowering habit: Predominantly white with a medium to strong pink blush, accompanied by darker pink stripes. Flowering takes place during the first or second week of September which is early to mid-season in the Southern Hemisphere and after leaf appearance. Flowers have a more rounded (urceolate) appearance unlike Puru or Reka which are more cylindraceous. The average corolla length is 8 mm.

Cluster: Small, mainly terminal drooping clusters of 4-10 flowers.

Leaves: Deciduous and advanced before flowering. Average length being 84 mm and average width being 57 mm. Leaves slightly pale green and smooth with no accompanying pubescence. Predominantly ovate.

Stems: Smooth stems (glabrous) which are generally light green/yellow when young and turn yellow/light red with age.

Fruit: Large pale blue fruit produced with a small dry scar, average diameter being 16 mm and average weight 2.1 g. Can exceed fruit size of Puru. Excellent flavour. Calyx partially lobed, loose clustered, medium aroma and low resistance to cracking. Fruit production is early in the season namely late November to early January and mid March to April in the Southern Hemisphere.

Bush habit: Erect spreading, vigorous, more so than Puru.

Propagation: Moderately successful (i.e., easier to propagate than Puru).

TABLE 1
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A summary of similarities and differences between Nui and five
standard varieties.
Cultivar   Similarities    Differences*
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Earliblue  flavour         less bush vigour
early maturing habit
smaller berry size
berry colour    less precocious
larger scar
extended harvest
Collins    early maturing habit
less bush vigour
berry colour    smaller berry size
less precocious
berry firmness
larger scar
Stanley    early maturing habit
smaller berry size
bush vigour     less precocious
berry flavour
berry colour
Darrow     berry size      later maturing
berry colour    berry flavour
bush vigour     extended harvest
larger scar
Bluecrop   berry colour    later maturing
scar            smaller berry size
bush vigour
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(*cultivar differences with respect to Nui)

TABLE 2
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Fruit productionn of three new early Ruakura blueberry selections,
Puru, Nui and Reka, and five standard varieties.
Yield per season (kg/bush)
Cultivar
1       2        3     Year 5 onwards (mean)
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Earliblue
0.2     0.8      1.2   2.4
Collins
0.2     0.9      1.1   1.6
Stanley
0.3     1.1      1.9   3.1
Bluecrop
0.1     0.5      1.4   5.8
Darrow 0.1     0.7      1.1   4.9
Puru   0.5     0.6      2.0   4.8
Nui    0.6     0.8      1.8   5.6
Reka   2.2     2.3      4.4   9.3
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TABLE 3
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Average berry weights of three new early Ruakura selections,
Puru, Nui, Reka and five standard varieties.
Cultivar   Average berry weight (gms)
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Earliblue  1.6
Collins    1.6
Stanley    1.2
Bluecrop   1.7
Darrow     2.0
Puru       2.2
Nui        2.1
Reka       1.6
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TABLE 4
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Pre-Christmas fruit production of three new early varieties,
Puru, Nui, Reka and five standard varieties.
Yield pre-Christmas as a
Cultivar   percentage of total production
______________________________________
Earliblue  69
Collins    82
Stanley    67
Bluecrop   55
Darrow     28
Puru       91
Nui        88
Reka       95
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TABLE 5
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General characteristics of three new early Ruakura selections,
Puru, Nui, Reka and five standard varieties.
Bush
Growth   Fruit  Fruit
Cultivar
Season  Habit    Size   Colour Scar
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Earliblue
v.      moderate medium-
light blue
medium/dry
early   spreading
large
Collins
early   moderate medium pale blue
medium/dry
spreading
Stanley
early   vigorous medium-
pale blue
medium/dry
upright  small
Bluecrop
mid     vigorous medium-
pale blue
small/dry
upright  large
Darrow late    vigorous large  pale blue
medium/wet
upright
Nui    v.      vigorous V. large
pale blue
small/dry
early   upright
Puru   v.      vigorous large  pale blue
small/dry
early   upright
Reka   v.      vigorous medium-
light blue
small/dry
early   spreading
large
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Additional Notes

(i) Leaf measurements were taken on mature leaves and not at the time of full flowering as the leaves at this stage are still expanding.

(ii) Flower numbers vary from 4-10 within a cluster.

(iii) Fruit diameter and weight vary within the season. Early season fruit which is produced on primary whips is much larger and heavier than subsequent fruit produced on secondary and tertiary whips.

(iv) A small autumm crop is produced from mid March onwards. This behaviour is variable and largely depends upon the preceeding dry summer conditions. The small number of fruit produced (in comparison to maincrop) tend to be extremely large.

Claims

1. A new and distinct variety of blueberry, substantially as herein shown and described, characterised particularly by

(a) a high percentage of total yield is produced early in the season,

(b) large fruit weight,

(c) small dry scar tissue.