ABSTRACT

The cultivated blueberry which comprises three major species of Vaccinium, including V. corymbosum (highbush) (Figure 1), V. ashei (rabbiteye) (Figure 2), and V. angustifolium (lowbush), is capable of setting and maturing 100% of its flowers. A good commercial crop of fruit requires that at least 80% of the flowers set and mature fruit, therefore, fruit thinning is not practiced as with some commercial tree fruit crops. To achieve this high level of fruit set, the blueberry flower must be insect pollinated.