Fruit Development in Short and Long Cycle Blueberries1

Abstract

Growth cycle studies of blueberry fruit were investigated for 3 Florida selections ‘4-15’, ‘4-71’ and ‘Bluegem’ (‘6-164’) which differed in the length of time from an thesis to maturity. The 3 stages of fruit development were exemplified by a double-sigmoid curve. Fruit size increase in stage I was due primarily to cell division and in stage III to cell enlargement. Delayed growth rate in stage II was accompanied by rapid development of the embryo and endosperm. Duration of individual stages varied with the clone and temperature and the length of each growth stage was important in determining the time required from anthesis to fruit maturity.