Vaccinium

Abstract

Genus Vaccinium consists of approximately 450 species, of which the most important are found in the sections Cyanococcus, Oxycoccus, Vitis-Idaea, Myrtillus, and Vaccinium. Three Vaccinium fruit crops (blueberry, cranberry, and lingonberry) have been domesticated in the twentieth century, while bilberry and several other non-cultivated Vaccinium species show great potential as new crops. Vaccinium fruits are considered a health-promoting food due to their nutritional and therapeutic properties highlighted by their relatively high levels of antioxidant phytonutrients and antiinflammatory capacity. Demand for berries from the various domesticated Vaccinium species will continue to grow in the near future. Currently, Vaccinium cultivars are generated exclusively through traditional breeding approaches. Controlled hybridization and deliberate selection has been used as the dominant technology for advanced breeding. Marker-assisted selection and genomic databases are beginning to emerge that will aid in the efficiency of Vaccinium breeding.