Impacts of genotype, edaphic factors, and plant nutrients on yield and fruit quality for a perennial specialty crop (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.)

Abstract

Compared to conventional crops, less is known about how genetic and environmental variability affect the yield and quality of specialty crops like cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.). Herein, we performed a multifaceted analysis of six commercial cranberry beds planted to the Stevens cultivar. The six beds included three with above‐average multiyear yields and three that were lower than average. We considered genotype, edaphic factors, and plant nutrient content as driving variables of yield and fruit quality. We found that genetic purity within beds raised the odds of obtaining above‐average yields over an 8‐year period. The highest levels of genetic contamination (38%–75%) were found at the low‐yield beds, where significant differences in yield and fruit quality were observed between genotypes, within beds. Across all beds, focusing only on plots genetically confirmed to be Stevens cultivar, we also found that plot‐scale yield in 2020 was significantly higher for two of three high‐yield beds, suggesting other factors besides genetic contamination influenced differences in bed‐scale yield. A factor analysis of mixed data that jointly included genotype, edaphic variables, and plant tissue nutrient content revealed complex relations among these variables that were tied to grouping plots based on long‐term yield. Findings highlight the need for further research into the complex genetic and environmental factors that control cranberry yield and fruit quality.