Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum x Vaccinium darrowii) SUZIBLUE

Blueberry - Variety 'Suziblue' (syn. TH-730)

'Suziblue' is a highly productive, early-ripening southern highbush blueberry variety bred in Georgia. It stands out primarily for its large, exceptionally firm fruits with an excellent sweet taste and a small, dry stem scar after detachment. Thanks to its high vitality, improved yield, and fruit firmness, it represents an improved alternative to the older commercial standard, the 'Star' variety.

Blueberry 'Suziblue'

It is a complex hybrid involving multiple species of the genus Vaccinium (V. corymbosum, V. virgatum, and V. darrowi).

Main advantages of the variety:

• Early ripening.
• Large fruits (larger than 'Star').
• Excellent fruit firmness and very good shelf life.
• Sweet taste and crunchy texture.
• Small and dry scar after detachment.
• High yield and strong, vigorous growth.
• High degree of self-fertility.
• Low chilling requirement (suitable for warmer regions).

Origin and Breeding

• Origin: USA (Georgia Experiment Station, Griffin, Georgia).
• Breeder: D. Scott NeSmith (University of Georgia).
• Crossing: Created in 1999 by crossing the 'Star' variety (female parent) and the 'TH-474' selection (male parent/pollen).
• Selection and registration: The seedling was selected in 2002 under the designation TH-730. Patented under number US PP21,167 P2 (July 2010).

Detailed variety description: Shrub and Growth

• Vigor: Highly vital. At maturity (at age 3), it reaches a height of 1.0 to 1.3 m.
• Habit: Semi-spreading. Typically 2 to 5 main shoots grow from the crown.
• Genetics and adaptability: As a representative of the Southern Highbush group, it has a low chilling requirement. It is estimated at 450 – 500 hours of temperatures below 7 °C for normal spring bud break and flowering.
• Blooming: Blooms early (in southern Georgia on average around March 1, in central Georgia around March 16). Blooms at approximately the same time as the 'Star' variety. Flowers are white, bell-shaped.
• Pollination: The variety exhibits a high degree of self-fertility.

Fruits

• Size and weight: Large. Average berry weight from the first harvest is 2.7 to 3.1 g (from the second harvest 2.2 to 2.6 g). Berry diameter is 18.0 to 22.0 mm. They are demonstrably larger than the fruits of the 'Star' variety.
• Shape: Hemispherical.
• Color: Purple-blue with a medium-strong waxy coating.
• Stem scar: Small, dry, without tearing.
• Flesh and firmness: Firm to very firm. In firmness tests (using the FirmTech 2 device), it demonstrated better firmness than the 'Star' variety.
• Taste: Mild, sweet taste with a firm, crunchy texture. It is rated as significantly sweeter compared to the 'Rebel' variety.
• Seeds: Low to medium amount of seeds in the fruit.

Cultivation properties and characteristics

• Phenology:
  • Ripening: Early variety. Ripens at approximately the same time as the 'Star' variety (in southern Georgia around May 9) and about a week after the 'Rebel' variety. Fruit development takes 64 to 68 days.
  • Yield: High. In tests, it achieved an average yield of 3.6 to 4.5 kg per plant (in 4- to 5-year-old plants). Total yield is better than in the 'Star' variety.
  • Shelf life and harvest: Shelf life is rated as very good. Fruits are primarily intended for the fresh fruit market. Suitability for mechanized harvesting is rated as only moderate.
• Resistance and requirements:
  • Frost resistance: Similar to other southern varieties (e.g., 'Star' and 'Rebel').

Drawbacks of the variety:

• Only moderate suitability for mechanized harvesting.
• Lower frost resistance (typical for the Southern Highbush group, unsuitable for cold northern areas).