High Variation in Yield among Wild Blueberry Genotypes: Can Yield Be Predicted by Leaf and Stem Functional Traits?

Abstract

Wild lowbush blueberry fields are characterized by high genetic diversity, with a large number of genotypes coexisting in every field. Yield also varies among genotypes, which could be related to the variation in physiological and structural traits, but this has not been rigorously tested. In this study, we aimed to quantify the inter-genotype variation in yield, as well as leaf and stem functional traits, and to establish the relationship between functional traits and yield-related traits in wild blueberries. To do so, we carried out a study during the 2019 harvest season measuring structural and functional traits including stem number, stem length, stem diameter, leaf chlorophyll concentration, leaf mass area, leaf area per stem, leaf number per stem, number of branches per stem, leaf temperature, soil temperature, and soil water content and yield data including yield, berry size (weight of 100 berries), number of berries per stem, and length of berry cluster from two wild blueberry farms. We found high variations in structural, functional, and yield-related traits among genotypes, but not between two fields. We also found negative associations of the leaf mass per unit area and midday leaf temperature with the yield, whereas the leaf chlorophyll concentration was positively associated with the yield. Additionally, we found a quadratic relationship between yield-related traits (weight of 100 berries, number of berries per stem, and length of berry cluster) and stem length, with the optimum stem length for yield at 25 cm. Our results suggest that several leaf and stem functional traits are related with yield-related traits; thereby, those traits can be used to predict wild blueberry yields. Our findings could help growers and breeders select better-yielding genotypes based on structural and functional traits.