Primadonna
U.S. Patent PP20,181
Southern Highbush Blueberry Variety
Description
Primadonna is early and has machine harvesting potential.
Cultivar name: Primadonna
Recommended for Florida: no
FL region best adapted to: none
Production system: deciduous
Hydrogen cyanamide: recommended; sensitive, requires a very low dose
Machine Harvestability: Possible; performed well in grower-reported machine harvesting
Per plant yields (Density 1,452-1,742 plants/acre):
o North-central FL (2019): 6.9 lbs/plant
Known disease susceptibility: Botryosphaeria stem blight
Known insect damage susceptibility: none observed to date
Fruit quality data:
o Fruit firmness: 203 – 228 g/mm, average 217 g/mm, higher than Emerald
o Berry Weight: 2.1 – 2.6 grams, average 2.3 grams, similar to Emerald
o Berry Diameter: 17.0 mm, smaller than Emerald
o Brix: 11.3 – 12.9, average 12.1, higher than Emerald
o Brix/Acid Ratio: 29.1 – 87.5, average 58.9, much higher than Emerald
o Fruit scar: normal (small and dry), similar to Emerald
o Wax/bloom: medium, similar to Emerald
o Fruit defects: none observed
o Flavor Score 24.3 – reference Emerald (19.9), Kestrel (29.2)
o Aroma: low
Cultivars with overlapping timing of flowering: Emerald, Farthing, Jewel, Magnus, Meadowlark
Other information: good natural leafing, mid-size berry may not be preferred by pickers, may require freeze protection in January
License availability: For a list of current nursery licensees in the USA, click here
Performance 2018-2019 Season
Fruit Quality and Yield
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The following plots show the most important fruit quality traits and yield, across the season.
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The vertical lines in the yield plots indicate when 10%, 50% and 90% of the harvest was achieved during the season.
Dotted lines indicate the desired values for new cultivars:
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Berry weight greater than 2g
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Fruit Diameter greater than 14mm
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Firmness higher than 150g/mm
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Brix higher than 10%
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TTA less than 1%
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Brix/TTA higher than 14 units
Warning: Yield plot coming from harvesting of two bushes. Values may seem overestimated as all the fruit from the bush is harvested, and because this is harvest yield and no packed yield. Use this data to compare among cultivars and no to predict potential yield on your farm.
Measurements are in grams (g). To convert from grams to pounds (lb) use the following formula:
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lb of fruit per bush = (g of fruit) x (0.002204)
Primadonna Gallery
License Availability
For licensing availability contact Florida Foundation Seed Producers (FFSP):
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http://www.ffsp.net/​​