Juicy Blueberry Research
- mrfimpacts
- Jun 28, 2020
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 23
Researchers at land-grant universities developed new blueberry varieties with desirable qualities, like cold hardiness and pest and disease tolerance. Many of these varieties are grown worldwide. Other work with blueberries includes:
Improving pollination (Michigan State University with Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the University of Florida).
Developing organic, biodegradable mulch (Washington State University).
Testing tools to reduce herbicide use (Rutgers University and Cornell University).
Using UV light to reduce fungal loads (Oregon State University).
Identified routes of preharvest pathogen contamination in wild blueberries grown in the Northeast (University of Maine, University of Delaware, University of Vermont, FDA).
Developing affordable, automated technologies that could improve harvest efficiency and help overcome labor shortages and high labor costs (University of Georgia).
Finding ways to minimize shipping damage and extend shelf life (University of Florida).
Researchers are also studying the nutrition value of blueberries and finding new uses for the bioactive compounds present in blueberries. For example, scientists at the University of Maine provided the first documentation that bioactive compounds in wild blueberries can speed up wound healing and improve tissue remodeling by 20%. A patent is pending.
Learn more about these projects:
Small Fruit Research and the latest report here.
Enhancing Microbial Food Safety by Risk Analysis