ISHS Acta Horticulturae 574: VII International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture
PROGRESS TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A MECHANICAL HARVESTER FOR WILD BLUEBERRIES |
| Author: | D.E. Yarborough |
| Keywords: | Vaccinium angustifolium, V. myrtilloides |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.574.49 |
| Abstract:
Over the past 100 years the wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium with minor populations of V. myrtilloides) has been hand harvested with a metal rake similar to the cranberry scoop. Because harvest of the blueberry fruit constitutes is the greatest expense in producing the crop, there is interest in reducing this cost by mechanical harvesting. Recent yield increases and a labor shortage has increased the need for an efficient mechanical harvester for wild blueberries. Past evaluations indicate that considerable cost savings may be realized by using mechanical harvesters but losses in yield, destruction of plants and reduced quality of the harvested berries may also result. New developments in blueberry mechanical harvester's picking head efficiencies, and the newest innovation with canoe-shaped teeth, has resulted in improved harvest efficiency. These modifications have also resulted in yields equivalent to hand-harvesting while retaining high quality fruit. | |
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