As blueberries gain popularity worldwide for their nutritional punch and convenience, consumers are demanding more than just antioxidant content—they want texture that holds up. Yet breeding for texture has remained a challenge. Traditional firmness tests capture only part of the story, and the trait itself is shaped by a complex interplay of genetics and environment. While other fruit crops have benefited from genomic selection, blueberry texture has been slower to improve. The difficulty in measuring nuanced texture components at scale has held breeders back. Because of these hurdles, there’s an urgent need to explore the genetic foundation of blueberry texture more precisely and systematically.
To address this need, scientists from the University of Florida and North Carolina State University, alongside USDA-ARS and global partners, launched a large-scale investigation. Their study (DOI: 10.1093/hr/uhae233), published in Horticulture Research on August 21, 2024, combined advanced texture analytics with genome-wide association mapping. By evaluating two breeding populations—northern highbush blueberries (NHB) in Oregon and southern highbush blueberries (SHB) in Florida—the team sought to quantify heritability, predict key traits using genomics, and identify the genes responsible for texture variation.
The team examined 17 mechanical texture traits across 2,057 blueberry plants. Using texture analyzers, they recorded detailed force-deformation data, revealing striking phenotypic differences between NHB and SHB varieties. Key texture traits—especially those related to Young’s modulus, a measure of stiffness—were found to sharply separate the two groups. Genetic analyses showed moderate heritability for most traits, indicating a complex architecture. Still, within-population genomic prediction proved effective, offering new tools for breeders.
Genome-wide association studies pinpointed over 100 genomic regions linked to texture, especially on chromosomes 5 and 7. Several candidate genes emerged near these loci, including those involved in cell wall modification and ripening regulation—such as pectinesterase, pectate lyase, and transcription factors like NAC and ERF. Traits like F1mm, DFM, and YM20_BuStr were singled out for their roles in firmness perception and postharvest performance. The findings not only illuminate how texture is inherited but also suggest practical markers for molecular breeding.
“Our study bridges the gap between what consumers feel and what breeders can select for,” said Dr. Massimo Iorizzo, co-lead author of the study. “For the first time, we have a clear genetic view of texture in blueberries—something long considered too complex to tackle directly. These insights will enable breeders to make more informed decisions and, ultimately, offer better fruit to both growers and consumers.”
The research provides a critical toolkit for modernizing blueberry breeding. By linking genetic markers with texture traits, breeders can now implement genomic prediction strategies to select elite lines earlier in the development process. This not only accelerates breeding cycles but also increases the chances of producing cultivars with better shelf life, transport resilience, and consumer appeal. While further validation with sensory panels is needed, the path forward is clear: by fusing genomics and high-throughput phenotyping, the next generation of blueberries will be firmer, fresher, and genetically optimized from farm to fork.
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References
DOI
10.1093/hr/uhae233
Original Source URL
https://doi.org/10.1093/hr/uhae233
Funding information
This work was supported by SCRI-NIFA Award 2019-51181-30015, VacciniumCAP: Leveraging genetic and genomic resources to enable development of blueberry and cranberry cultivars with improved fruit quality attributes and by the University of Florida royalty fund generated by the licensing of blueberry cultivars.
About Horticulture Research
Horticulture Research is an open access journal of Nanjing Agricultural University and ranked number one in the Horticulture category of the Journal Citation Reports ™ from Clarivate, 2023. The journal is committed to publishing original research articles, reviews, perspectives, comments, correspondence articles and letters to the editor related to all major horticultural plants and disciplines, including biotechnology, breeding, cellular and molecular biology, evolution, genetics, inter-species interactions, physiology, and the origination and domestication of crops.