Stem Pigmentation in Lowbush Blueberry

Abstract

The commercially important sweet lowbush blueberry, Vaccinium angustifolium, of northeastern North America, is extremely variable, being represented by numerous clones, each phenotypically distinct. The stem colors of the 1st-year shoot range from yellow-greens through intermediate tans to deep brown-reds. Chlorophylls a and b, [beta] carotene and anthocyanins are responsible for these varying shades. The deepening colors in dark-stemmed clones are parallelled by increasing concentrations of bark anthocyanins (cyanidin and peonidin derivatives) overlying a background green of the chlorophylls and [beta] carotenes that mainly constitute the lighter shades. There was no relationship between stem color (antho-cyanin concentration) and any other deviating clonal characteristic (earliness, vigor, self-sterility, etc.) in this heterogeneous species.