2020, Vol. 8, Issue 6, Part B

author(s)
Aysun Cavusoglu and Dogu Can Anil Aygun

abstract
The one of the most traded berry is blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L., belongs to Ericaceae family has an increasing interest as agricultural practices and scientific area. Blueberry is grown for the production of fruits. The fruits are considered a health food due to the rich content of minerals, trace elements, and phenolic compounds. The study was carried out in Kocaeli city in Turkey, one of the cities that share Black Sea coast, between October, 2019-January, 2020. In this study, current year shoot cuttings were collected in the study day from mother plants of three varieties (‘Duke’, ‘Brigitta’ and ‘Bluecrop’). Shoots from branches in 8 cm were prepared by removing all leaves and planted as softwood cuttings in two different substrates (peat and perlite) under glasshouse conditions to observe; viability rate (%), bud sprouting rate (%), rooting rate (%) and callusing rate (%). Results obtained after 4 months indicated that viability rates were 83,3% in ‘Duke’, 79,17% in ‘Brigitta’ and 62,50% in ‘Bluecrop’ that showed statistical differences in peat. In perlite the viability rates were 70,38% in ‘Duke’, 70,83% in ‘Brigitta’ and 75% in ‘Bluecrop’ and showed no differences between varieties. Even the used media did not affected the viability rates in each variety. Bud sprouting rate changed between 13,3%-44,43 in all cuttings and did not show statistical importance among varities or substrates. Only differences in callusing rate (52,2% in ‘Duke’, 13,07% in ‘Brigitta’ and 8,9% in ‘Bluecrop’) were observed only in perlite substrate. It should be emphasized that no rootings observed in used media or varities under our study conditions. According to the data, rooting is an issue that needs to be worked on, especially under nursery condition on the varities.