Blueberry Cultivation in India: Varieties, Uses & Cultivation Process

Table of Contents

• Blueberry Farming in India – A Quick Overview
• Which are the Top Varieties of Blueberries?
• Step-by-Step Blueberry Cultivation Process

• • Soil & Climate
  • Propagation
  • Planting
  • Mulching
  • Manure & Fertilizer Application
  • Pruning
  • Pests & Diseases
  • Flowering & Fruiting
  • Harvesting & Yield

Blueberry Farming in India – A Quick Overview

Blueberry farming is a lucrative business in India due to high consumer demand. Blueberries are a great source of fibre in daily diets. They are eaten raw, dried, boiled, and baked in many culinary purposes. The scientific name of blueberries is Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus belongs to the section Cyanococcus within the genus Vaccinium. The calorific value of this berry is low; 100 g of fresh fruit provides just 57 calories. Its oxygen radical absorbing capacity (ORAC) is high, which prevents harmful free radicals from entering the body and thus protects against ageing, cancer and various degenerative diseases. However, blueberry origin starts from America, and these are widely grown in the USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, still their attention is steadily increasing in India, especially in areas with acidic soils and winters cool enough to meet their chilling requirements. The examples are Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.

Which are the Top Varieties of Blueberries?

• Aurora
• Austin
• Alapaha
• Bluecrop
• Bluegold
• Blueray
• Duke
• Earliblue
• Misty
• Jersey
• Reka
• Rubel
• Toro

Step-by-Step Blueberry Cultivation Process

Blueberry cultivation requires several steps like soil, climate, propagation, mulching, pruning, etc. Let’s discuss the cultivation process in steps below:

Soil & Climate

Blueberries require a cold climate with 150 to 1200 chill hours to break dormancy. The blueberry growing environment should be frost-free, as frigid temperatures can kill blueberry shoots and flower buds. Soil with high water retention is ideal for its growth, and it can also grow on drained, aerated and many types of soils. It requires a soil pH between 4.2 and 4.8, but a pH below 6 is also suitable for its production.

Propagation

Blueberries are usually propagated through cuttings (hardwood, semi-hardwood and softwood). But suckers, tissue culture and sexual propagation are also possible. However, propagation through seeds leads to poor fruit growth.

Planting

The best blueberry season in India is between December and March. Plant the seedlings at a distance of 1 X 3 m plant to plant and row to row. In rainfed conditions, on heavy soils, plants should be planted in raised beds to avoid waterlogging.

Mulching

Mulching is an essential step in blueberry cultivation, as these have shallow, fibrous roots that are easily affected. Also, mulching is required to check the weed population. Dried grass, straw, shredded leaves, peat, wood chips, sawdust and pine bark, etc., are the common mulching materials.

Manure & Fertilizer Application

Blueberries are less fertile; thus, organic mulches are used to add organic matter, increasing soil fertility and improving soil structure and water retention.Different Types of fertilizers are used to provide various nutrients to blueberries. The roots of blueberries lack root hairs, so they depend on soil microorganisms (mycorrhizae) to help break down nutrients and mediate uptake into the roots. 

Pruning

The bush can be trained as a multi-stem or single stem. Initially, it is done by removing flower buds from canes. Pruning is essential to maintain a proper balance between the fruit-to-shoot ratio. As bushes age, they become more susceptible to pests, which can hamper production. To encourage new growth, bushes should be regularly pruned.

Pests & Diseases

Several pests and insects harm blueberries, resulting in economic losses for growers. Blueberry bud mite (Acalitus vaccanii Kiefer), cutworms, winter moths, blueberry maggot, and leaf rollers are the most common insects and pests that damage blueberries. If we talk about diseases, aphids, Beetles, Root rot, etc., are common diseases found in blueberries.

Flowering & Fruiting

Blueberry bears fruit after 3 years and flowers on one-year-old shoots/canes axillary at each node. The flowers are white or pink. Blueberries start flowering in February-March, and fruit ripen in April to May, about 62 days after flowering. Bees are the primary pollinators of blueberries, enabling cross-pollination that increases fruit set and results in larger berries with more seeds.

Harvesting & Yield

Blueberries usually take 45 to 65 days to ripen after flowering. These are harvested when the fruits turn purple. When it turns pinkish blue, it can be harvested manually by plucking individual fruits. The average yield of blueberries is about 2 to 10 kg/bush.