Farthing Southern Highbush Blueberry Low Chilling Requirement

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Solution Overview

Problem

Southern highbush blueberry cultivars face challenges in early spring production in areas with mild winters and require high chilling hours, often resulting in delayed fruiting and susceptibility to diseases, with existing varieties lacking vigor and resistance.

Innovation Solution

The 'Farthing' cultivar, a southern highbush blueberry hybrid, exhibits a low chilling requirement, vigorous growth, disease resistance, and early ripening, characterized by firm, sweet berries, making it suitable for early spring production in regions like north Florida.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If existing southern highbush blueberry cultivars are used in areas with mild winters, then they can produce fruit, but they require high chilling hours which delays fruiting and reduces productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveearly spring productionVSAvoidchilling requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by developing a blueberry cultivar with fundamentally altered chilling requirements. The 'Farthing' cultivar requires only 150-200 chilling hours compared to the 800-1000 hours required by traditional cultivars, enabling early spring production in mild winter regions without the time delay that plagues conventional varieties

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If existing cultivars are grown in mild winter regions, then they can fruit, but they show susceptibility to diseases and lack vigor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisease resistanceVSAvoiddisease susceptibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the previously harmful effect of mild winters (which promote disease) into a beneficial condition. The 'Farthing' cultivar's low chilling requirement and associated physiological changes enable it to thrive in mild winter conditions without the disease susceptibility that affects traditional cultivars, effectively turning the environmental constraint into an advantage

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Productivity

If traditional blueberry cultivars are planted for early spring production, then they can fruit, but they lack vigorous growth and produce lower yields

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveyieldVSAvoidbush vigor

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action through the deliberate breeding program that created the 'Farthing' cultivar with pre-adapted characteristics for mild winter regions. The cultivar was developed with built-in low chilling requirements and disease resistance traits before deployment, allowing immediate high productivity without the growth weakness that plagues traditional cultivars in these conditions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUSPP19341P2Southern highbush blueberry plant named 'Farthing'

Publication Date: 2008.10.14 FLORIDA FOUNDATION SEED PRODUCERS INC

AI summary

A southern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) cultivar particularly distinguished by having a low chilling requirements (300 hours below 7° C.) with prolific early-spring leafing, a vigorous, dense bush with numerous canes, dark green leaves and good survival in the field, early ripening (50% ripe berries in north Florida by May 5) and a high yield of berries that are sweet and firm with a small, dry picking scar.