Differences in Cell Number Facilitate Fruit Size Variation in Rabbiteye Blueberry Genotypes
2011
Johnson, Lisa Klima | Malladi, Anish | NeSmith, D Scott
Fruit size is a valuable commercial trait in blueberry. The cellular basis of variation in fruit size among rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei) genotypes was investigated. Twenty genotypes, including cultivars and advanced selections from the University of Georgia blueberry breeding program, were analyzed. Among the 20 genotypes, fruit weight and fruit diameter varied by over threefold and 1.6-fold, respectively. Regression analysis indicated a linear relationship between fruit weight and fruit diameter (R2 = 0.97, P < 0.001), suggesting that fruit diameter is a good predictor of fruit weight. Among the 20 genotypes, mesocarp cell number and cell area varied by almost 2.5-fold and 1.5-fold, respectively. Although fruit diameter and cell number were significantly related (R2 = 0.79, P < 0.001), no relationship could be established between fruit diameter and cell area. These data indicate that variation in fruit size among rabbiteye blueberry genotypes is primarily facilitated by variation in cell number. Two small and two large fruit size genotypes were further analyzed. Differences in cell number among some of these genotypes were apparent at bloom suggesting that cell production before bloom is an important mechanism contributing to variation in final cell number. Differences in final cell number among other genotypes were manifested during fruit development, indicating that cell production during fruit development was also instrumental in determining variation in final cell number. This study suggests that fruit size variation in rabbiteye blueberry genotypes is determined by mechanisms that regulate cell production before bloom and during fruit development.
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