Harvest Method and Packing Line Impact on Rabbiteye [V. virgatum ( syn. V. ashei)] Blueberry Cultivars Brightwell and Powder Blue

In Georgia, Rabbiteye blueberry cultivars extend the harvest season by 3 to 4 weeks beyond Southern Highbush (V. corymbosum interspecific hybrids) harvest. However, rabbiteye blueberry fruit can be difficult to manage after harvest due to softening and bruising. In 2013, a study was conducted in Southeastern Georgia on fruit from ‘Brightwell’ and ‘Powder Blue’ to assess the impact of mechanical harvest and packing line on fruit quality. Fruit were harvested on 28 June from the Blueberry Research Farm in Alma, GA by either hand (HH) or machine harvest (MH), taken to a packing shed, field heat removed, and ran across a packing line the next day. Fruit were packaged in 0.5 L clamshells and either stored at 0.5° C at 85% RH or analyzed (50 fruit per treatment) for bruising (1= 0-25%, 2 =26-50%, 3 = 51-75%, 4 = 76-100%) and firmness [g/mm (FirmTech2, Bioworks, Inc. Wamego, KS]. Fruit were taken from storage weekly and analyzed for firmness and bruising. Fruit treatments were HH pre or post packing line and MH pre or post packing line. Though the fruit were of poor quality at harvest, the impact of packing line was significant. At harvest, ‘Brightwell’ HH, pre packing line, fruit were 32% firmer then MH fruit. When comparing HH fruit pre and post packing line, there was a 15% loss in firmness and MH fruit did not reflect an impact. Bruising was not significant for the HH fruit across the packing line; however, through storage bruising increased from 3 to 4. At harvest, ‘Powder Blue’ HH, pre packing line, fruit were 16% firmer then MH fruit. When comparing HH fruit pre and post packing line, there was a 26% loss in firmness and MH fruit lost 13% firmness. For both HH and MH, bruising was significant for fruit ran across the packing line: 3 to 4. Through storage, both cultivars showed no further decline in quality. This work indicates the impacts of both the mechanical harvest system and packing line can contribute to a decline in fruit quality of blueberry.