BLUE FORMOSA – a Blueberry Initiative Program In Taiwan

Blueberries were first introduced to Taiwan some 30 years ago. However, due to the high chilling requirement of these old northern highbush type plants, it was thought that blueberries can only be grown in the high elevated mountain areas in Taiwan’s tropical climate; hence the cultivation of blueberries has been limited. In 2007, BLUE FORMOSA, the first ever academic blueberry project in Taiwan was initiated by National Taiwan University’s Fruit Crop Physiology Laboratory. The mission of BLUE FORMOSA is to conduct scientific research and introduction of blueberry production to Taiwan as well as to provide an information platform to potential growers and enterprises. BLUE FORMOSA specifically interests in the potential of low chill rabbiteye and southern highbush cultivars in subtropical and tropical climates. Currently 32 cultivars are under evaluation. Test trails were initiated at low, middle, and high altitudes in Northern and Central Taiwan. We have also obtained 70 open pollination seedlings from northern highbush and >100 op seedlings from rabbiteye and southern highbush for breeding evaluation. The preliminary results indicated that most cultivars, regardless of their parentage, can thrive in the summer heat and humidity in lowland Taiwan. Although the winter temperature appeared insufficient for most cultivars for their recommended chilling requirement, many cultivars bloomed and set fruit on current year suckers in late fall and early winter. This result opens the possibility of off-season blueberry production in tropics. Future research for BLUE FORMOSA includes techniques to improve multiplication rate by greenwood and hardwood cuttings, breeding for low chill cultivars, and cultivar practices for successful off-season berry production.