G-435 and ARS 96-138, pink-fruited blueberry selections

Abstract

G-435 and ARS 96-138 are two pink-fruited blueberry selections developed by the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. G-435, a tetraploid, is predominantly Vaccinium corymbosum L. (highbush blueberry) with a mixture of other Vaccinium species germplasm in its ancestry. It has been evaluated in New Jersey and Michigan. ARS 96-138 is a hexaploid that is half V. ashei Reade (rabbiteye blueberry) and half synthetically derived, hexaploid, highbush-type germplasm. It has been evaluated in New Jersey and Oregon. ARS 96-138 was partially derived from a pink-fruited sibling of G-435; thus, the two selections are related, although they possess different ploidy levels. They are released as germplasm for further evaluation, breeding, and possible commercialization. They represent a novel fruit color in blueberry that is of interest to the landscape nursery business.