DrisBlueSix Blueberry Low Chilling Requirement Early Harvest

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing blueberry varieties face challenges with high chilling requirements and delayed harvest seasons, which can limit their adaptability and productivity in regions with mild winters and early fruiting demands.

Innovation Solution

The development of the 'DrisBlueSix' blueberry variety, which exhibits a very low chilling requirement and early harvest season, characterized by firm, sweet berries with medium acidity, achieved through asexual propagation from the cross between 'MS122' and 'FL 92-166 N' parents.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If existing blueberry varieties are used, then they can produce fruit, but they have high chilling requirements and delayed harvest seasons which limit adaptability in regions with mild winters

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveadaptability to regions with mild wintersVSAvoidchilling requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by developing a blueberry variety with fundamentally altered chilling requirements through selective breeding. The new variety requires only 150-250 chilling hours compared to the 800-1000+ hours required by traditional varieties, representing a dramatic parameter change that enables cultivation in mild winter regions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Productivity

If existing blueberry varieties are used, then they can produce fruit, but they have delayed harvest seasons which limits early fruiting productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveearly fruiting productivityVSAvoidharvest season timing

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by enabling the blueberry variety to complete its chilling requirement much earlier in the winter season, allowing bud break and fruit development to occur significantly earlier than traditional varieties. This preliminary completion of chilling requirements shifts the entire growth cycle forward, achieving early harvest

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If blueberry varieties with low chilling requirements are developed, then they can adapt to mild winter regions, but achieving early harvest and high productivity simultaneously is challenging

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehigh fruit productivityVSAvoidbreeding program complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms through systematic evaluation and selection processes during the breeding program. Multiple generations of plants were assessed for both chilling requirement reduction and productivity maintenance, with selective backcrossing to the prolific parent variety ensuring that high-yielding traits were preserved while achieving low chilling requirements

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUSPP24569P3Blueberry plant named ‘DrisBlueSix’

Publication Date: 2014.06.24 DRISCOLLS INC

AI summary

A new and distinct variety of blueberry plant named ‘DrisBlueSix’ particularly distinguished by having a very low chilling requirement, very early harvest season with high fruit productivity, and firm, sweet berries with medium acidity, is disclosed.