ASABE Technical Library - Abstract

Abstract. Northeastern North America is the world‘s leading producer of wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) producing 148.77 million kg of berries and contributing $196.74 million annually to the provincial and federal economies. Maturity of wild blueberry at the time of harvest is the leading factor for final fruit quality. Currently, there are no protocols available for the farming community related to wild blueberry maturity and quality. Two wild blueberry fields were selected in Atlantic Provinces to examine the berry ripening characteristics, like, anthocyanin content, firmness, total soluble solids, total titratable acidity and moisture content on different harvesting times (early, middle and late). The field was divided into four blocks and each block was further divided into three classes of early, middle and late.

Results of the present study suggest that physico-chemical composition of wild blueberries, during fruit maturation, was the function of time of harvesting. Total soluble solids and anthocyanin contents, moisture contents, weight and diameter of wild blueberries increased, while titratable acidity and firmness decreased with passage of time. Therefore, none of these measures can be used independently to assess fruit maturity. Total soluble solids and anthocyanin contents increased gradually from early to late season and the highest increase in total soluble solids was observed in middle season, while most pigment accumulation in blueberries took place in early and middle season. A significant decrease in acidity and an increase in TSS:TA were noticed in middle and late season harvesting. The maximum gain in moisture content, expansion in diameter and increase in weight were observed in middle season harvesting, while reduction in moisture, shrinkage of berries and loss of weight occurred in late season. Blueberries were firmer in early season, due to them being partly ripened, compared to middle and late season. Firmness decreased gradually from early to middle season; then an increase in firmness in late season was the consequence of gumminess, produced by loss of moisture and contraction of diameter. Therefore, optimum time to harvest Nova Scotia wild blueberries would be in the middle season, to ensure high quality blueberries.