Reflecting a trend seen in other high-production states, Georgia growers are bending to consumer pressure for better tasting fruits and vegetables.
In the past, Matthew Kolinski, deputy director for marketing for the Georgia Department of Agriculture, says “growers generally chose varieties for high yields and long shelf life, but now, growers are selecting for flavor and nutrition.”
Researchers at the University of Georgia work with growers to improve cultivars and determine the optimal inputs and soil composition for specific varieties, such as the exact amount of sulfur in the soil required for optimal sweetness of the state’s sought after Southern Highbush blueberries.
“Blueberry farmers are looking for larger, sweeter fruit with more antioxidants,” says Kolinski.
To this end, the university’s blueberry breeding program has brought 13 patented new cultivars to market in recent years, bred for better disease and pest resistance, higher yields, and improved flavor. Over 20,000 acres of blueberries are now planted in the state, an increase of 560 percent over the last 20 years.
Pomegranates and satsuma oranges are also getting more attention. Some growers are finding that in terms of soil composition and timing, pomegranates — which require low pH and little soil prep — can follow blueberries.
“Just as soybean and peanuts rotate well, because peanuts are a legume that fixes nitrogen in the soil, we rotate onions and sweet potatoes in places,” explains Kolinski.
Poms require low pH and little soil prep, though humidity issues limit growers to varieties resistant to fungal diseases. Because fewer than 25 percent of pomegranates actually make it to market due to skin blemishes, a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture grant is helping growers explore juicing possibilities in blueberry packinghouses.
This is an excerpt from the most recent Produce Blueprints quarterly journal. Click here to read the full article.
