INTRODUCTION OF PROMISING BLUEBERRY CULTIVARS IN THE CONDITIONS OF SOUTHERN HORTICULTURE

The process of introduction is closely connected with the expansion of horticultural crops distribution area in new soil and climatic conditions. Introduced crops are regarded as a source material for the study of their biology in natural conditions and integration into other ecological zones. This paper presents the results of integrated evaluation of blueberry cultivars in the Black Sea horticultural zone of Krasnodar Krai. The aim of the research is to study the realization of biological and productive potential in blueberry cultivars in the conditions of southern Russia. The surveys and observations were carried out according to the “Program and methodology for varietal studies of fruit, berry and nut crops”. It was found that blueberry cultivars ‘Patriot’, ‘Duke’, ‘Aurora’ and ‘Reka’, belonging to the species (Vaccínium corumbosum L.) are early-producing – they enter the fruiting period on the 3-4th year after planting. The analysis of berry crop productivity elements showed that the trait “berry weight” was determined by the cultivar peculiarity and averaged 2.1 g across the cultivars. Large berries (3.0 g) were characterized by blueberry cultivar ‘Patriot’; in the cultivar ‘Duke’, berry weight was 2.0 g, which allows us to refer them to the group of large-fruited. In the cultivars ‘Reka’ and ‘Aurora’, berry weight was 1.6 and 1.8 g, respectively. Varietal specificity was also manifested in terms of yield. The average yield among cultivars was 3.0 kg/bush. The cultivars ‘Aurora’ and ‘Duke’ formed yields of 4.1 and 3.2 kg/bush, respectively; the cultivars ‘Reka’ and ‘Patriot’ had yields of 2.3 and 2.5 kg/bush, indicating that all cultivars were productive. Blueberry cultivars ‘Patriot’, ‘Duke’, ‘Aurora’ and ‘Reka’, belonging to the genus Vaccínium uliginósum L. can be recommended for cultivation in the southern region, as well as for use in breeding work to improve the blueberries assortment, as sources of valuable traits – large fruits and yield.