Course:EOSC311/2023/How Altitude can Affect the Growth and Taste of Blueberries

From UBC Wiki

Summary

Picture of ripe highbush blueberry with some not as ripe blueberries in the background
Photo of Northern highbush blueberry [1]

There are multiple benefits to growing blueberries at a higher elevation as the high UV and solar rays can increase the production of flavonoids[2]. There is higher organic matter present in the soil due to leaching and higher precipitation[3]. Another reason why blueberries should be grown at a higher altitude is because of the ideal soil composition that is created. Some locations at higher altitudes there is an increases of the total soluble solid and titratable acid present in the blueberries causing a sweeter taste[2]. There is a lower pH level, higher organic matter and contains the needed minerals to provide the best growth for blueberries. Although there are benefits to growing blueberries at a higher elevation the anthocyanin accumulation at berries grown at a higher and lower elevation are the same in a fully matured blueberry[4]. So there is no health benefit difference between blueberries grown at a higher or lower altitude.

Statement of connection and why you chose it

Different plants have different ideal conditions that are needed to optimize the taste and flavour. There are also certain soil types and textures that are not ideal for the growth of blueberries, clay would be hard to grow plants due to the poor drainage and compactness[5]. Since blueberries are an antioxidant superfood[6]. Blueberries are highly nutritious with multiple health benefits like reducing risk of cancer and heart diseases, as well as being an anti-inflammatory[6]. So being able to determine where the sweetest blueberries are grown can help increase the consumption of blueberries. As consumers prefer “sweetness, freshness and juiciness” for blueberries which is an additional factor on why consumers buy blueberries (p.2)[2]. I chose this topic as eating a healthy diet is important for your health and many look past the process it takes to make these healthy foods. In module 1 we looked at the GeoMap of Vancouver and while looking at it it made me wonder if there are specific areas in British Columbia that are beneficial to growing fruits and vegetables.

Ideal Blueberry Soil

Textural soil triangle with the different compositions of different types of soil
Sandy-loam soil is ideal for the growth of Blueberry and can be seen on the diagram to understand the composition of it [7].

Highbush Blueberries can be grown in a variety of soil types, but the ideal soil for growth is an acidic and “organic-rich sandy loam soil”(p.3)[8]. The acidity of the soil pH should range from 4.5-5. [8]. The pH level is crucial for growth because if the soil is too basic, the blueberry plant will have trouble absorbing nutrients from the soil[9]. This can affect the plant by slowing down the growth or death of the plant[9]. Another necessary factor that affects the soil to grow blueberries is good drainage. The soil needs to have a good water-holding capacity[10]. The chosen land would need to have good water-holding capacity and drainage. Plants are unable to handle flooding during their growth period, which can lead to root rot and death of plants.[11] An example of a not ideal soil is clay-textured soil, it has a good water-holding capacity. Clay texture has poor drainage and is compact, which makes growing plants challenging[5]. The organic matter present in soil should be more than 10%. Although for heavier types of soils, it will require more than 15% organic matter.[5] Although, if the soil does not contain the ideal needed acidity, organic matter or good drainage there are extra items that can be applied to help. The organic matter that is present in the soil is needed for the growth of the blueberry plant. As it can cause stunted growth, yellowing leaves and delay fruit maturity[12]. Along with needing an ideal soil it also needs to remain at a warm temperature. If the temperature is too cold, it can cause the stems to freeze and limits the growth and production of fruits[12].

Importance of location when growing Blueberries

There has been an increase in demand for blueberries due to the consumers' interest in healthy eating[10]. The anthocyanin accumulation is strongly related to environmental factors[4]. This is why it is significant that we understand what can affect the taste of blueberries, as the “overall liking of blueberries is strongly related to favourable texture, intensities of sweetness, flavour and sourness” (p.1)[13] . The main health benefit of blueberries is the antioxidant as they are rich in anthocyanin and it is a bioactive compound[4]. The consumption of blueberries has been reported to improve memory and cognitive performance, prevent oxidative stress and damage, inhibit inflammation, and improve cardiovascular health[4]. Determining whether the location of blueberries being grown can affect the concentration of antioxidants and taste can help influence consumers where to buy their blueberries from. As “Consumer’s concern for fruit quality… increase interest in food aspects related to health care and better quality of life (p.1)[4]. So if there is a location that can optimize the antioxidants in blueberries with a sweeter taste for consumers it would be ideal.

What Affect Blueberries Sweetness

There are multiple factors that affect the flavour of blueberries like genetics, environment, plant health and the maturity of blueberries[14]. The most significant factor influencing the flavour of blueberries is maturity, as mature blueberries are the most flavourful[14]. Although, commercial blueberry farms need to optimize post-harvest storage along with the taste of blueberries, so mature blueberries are rarely seen[14]. The next factor that plays a relevant role in the gene of blueberries is if they do not have the genetics to produce the optimum flavour they will be unable to due to this limitation[14]. For a couple of the studies to determine the changes in sweetness in blueberries grown at different altitudes, the blueberries' total soluble solid and titratable acid is measured and used in a ratio with each other to make a taste indicator[2]. For one specific study to determine the sweetness, an electronic tongue was used to measure the total soluble solid and titratable acid ratio[2]. This discovered that at a higher altitude, total soluble solids and titratable acid increase. Therefore, giving the blueberries that are grown at a higher altitude a sweeter taste. Since Total soluble solid and titratable acid increases with altitude, blueberries grown at higher altitudes are more favourable to consumers because blueberries are able to accumulate sugar contents and more sunlight[2].

Blueberries at Higher Elevation

Organic Matter in Soil

Dissolved organic matter infiltrates into the ground and depending on the different properties of the organic matter
When precipitate occurs it enters the soil and allows for the organic matter to dissolve thus infiltrating the soil. Since precipitate occurs more often in high elevation this process occurs more often resulting in a higher percentage of organic matter present[15]

Blueberries grow and are sweeter at high elevations due to the soil present at higher altitudes. As mentioned, a certain percentage of organic matter must be present in the soil for blueberries to grow well. There is an abundance of nitrate and carbon found in the soils at a higher altitude than at a lower altitude[3]. The increase in nitrate is beneficial for blueberry plant growth as plants need nitrate to be available to grow blueberries[5]. There is a positive relation between organic carbon biomass concentration and increasing altitude[16]. This increase of carbon concentration with the rise in elevation is due to the high quantity of rain at higher elevations, along with more plant biomass and thicker soil crust[3]. Lacking some of these organic matters within the soil can cause defects within the blueberries. A lack of nitrogen for nitrate can cause blueberries to be smaller due to stunted growth, but an excess of nitrogen can lead to excess vegetation growth and delayed fruit production[8].

Acidity Level of Soil

The soil is acidic at higher elevations due to the found soil pH decreasing with a higher altitude[3]. Due to the higher elevation, the high UV and solar rays can increase the anthocyanin and flavonoids[2]. The pH of the soil to grow blueberries is specific as the ideal pH range for soil is 4.3 - 4.8, but it is able to tolerate up to a pH level of 5.2[5]. While anything that is above the pH of 5.5 is considered too basic and can cause slowed-down growth or death due to the plant having difficulty absorbing nutrients in the soil[9]. Some outcome that may occur if the soil is too basic is iron deficiency which can cause leaves to turn yellow[8]. The reason pH decreases as the elevation increases are due to “increased leaching of basic cation in the higher elevation from greater precipitation and from increased nitrification” (p.1754)[3]. Due to the high amount of nitrate in elevated soil from precipitation, causes an increase in electrical conductivity which increases the concentration of hydrogen present and lowers the pH of the soil[3]. Another factor that increases electrical conductivity is the increase of cation exchange capacity due to the enhanced organic matter present in the soil[3].

Factors that Promote Blueberry Growth

There are other factors that can help improve the growth of blueberries regardless of the location. First, pollination is essential for the growth of blueberries, which is why honeybee hives are placed near the blueberry bushes to promote pollination[12]. To help with the soil pH level and water conservation sawdust mulches can aid in water conservation and lower soil pH, along with increasing the organic matter in the soil[12]. Another way to increase or decrease the pH level is by adding dolomite or ground limestone to raise the pH or using sulphur to lower the pH[11]. Another way to increase organic matter in soil is by adding compost which can increase pH and is a crucial source of organic matter and crop nutrients[11]. Another component of blueberry growing is the quality of water used to water the blueberries.

British Columbia and Blueberries

Map of the lower mainland of British Columbia which allow us to see the location of where blueberry farms typically occur
Map of the lower mainland of British Columbia allowing us to locate where majority of blueberries are grown[17].

British Columbia is responsible for 92 % of highbush blueberries being grown in Canada[12]. What is more interesting is “most commercial highbush blueberry production in British Columbia is located in the lower mainland region (p.2)[12]. Although, some blueberries are grown in the interior of British Columbia, which has a higher elevation than the lower mainland. The lower mainland does not need to rely on higher elevations to help the growth of blueberries as the soil contains the organic material needed to grow them[11]. In the south-coast British Columbia blueberries are grown in soil that contains 20-50% of organic matter, but blueberries can be grown in mineral soils like silts and sandy loams. In British Columbia, the bulk of blueberries is grown in Richmond, Matsqui Prairie, Pitt Meadows, Surrey and Fraser Valley[18]. While looking at the GeoMap of Vancouver, you can see the locations listed above[19]. Many are on the Modern Sediments of silt and clay or sand and silt [19]. The legend of the GeoMap of Vancouver for silt and clay, states that this sediment is good for agricultural soil although poor drainage could be an issue[19]. There is a way to fix the issue of poor draining in these sediments by installing a drainage system and raised beds and sawdust mulch can help promote good drainage[11].

Since the growth of blueberries in British Columbia is accomplishable without a higher elevation, what about the antioxidants it contains? The antioxidant in both blueberries grown at a higher altitude and lower altitude consist of the same amount of antioxidants, but the antioxidants accumulate in different ways within the blueberries. At a lower elevation, there were quicker berry development patterns and a high concentration of anthocyanin concentration during the early ripening[4]. While at a higher altitude, the anthocyanin concentration accumulates later in the ripening process[4]. Which would mean that regardless if berries are grown at a higher altitude or lower altitude, the health benefits from the fruit would remain similar.  

Conclusion

In conclusion, there are benefits to growing blueberries at a higher elevation due to the increased organic matter present, lower pH level and allows for the accumulation of sugar making blueberries sweeter. Some locations may benefit from growing at a higher elevation due to increased organic matter[3]. Although, there are benefits to growing blueberries at higher elevations. It is not a requirement to achieve well-grown and tasty blueberries. Which can be seen here in British Columbia, with them being grown in Richmond, Pitt Meadows and more locations in the lower mainland. Due to the organic matter already present in the soil the benefits from growing at a higher altitude are not needed for the growth of blueberries. Along with the ideal soil being present, British Columbia has good quality water used for agriculture and can help promote the growth of blueberries.


References

  1. ↑ Vaccinium corymbosum (Northern highbush blueberry) on Årnäshalvön, Halland, Sweden.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Zeng, Q., Dong, G., Tian, L., Wu, H., Ren, Y., Tamir, G., Huang, W., & Yu , H. (2020, September 25). High Altitude Is Beneficial for Antioxidant Components and Sweetness Accumulation of Rabbiteye Blueberry. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpls.2020.573531/full
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 Smith , J. L., Halvorson, J. J., & Jr., H. B. (2002, August). Soil properties and microbial activity across a 500 m elevation gradient in a semi-arid enviornmnet. Research Gate . https://www.researchgate.net/publication/222544800_Soil_properties_and_microbial_activity_across_a_500m_elevation_gradient_in_a_semi-arid_environment
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 Spinardi, A., Cola, G., Gardana, C. S., & Mignani, I. (2019). Variation of Anthocyanin Content and Profile Throughout Fruit Development and Ripening of Highbush Blueberry Cultivars Grown at Two Different Altitudes. Frontiers in Plant Science, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2019.01045
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Kalbacher, K., Adriana Hernández-Rodríguez, O., Jiménez-Castro, J., Parra-Quezada, R., & Martínez-Rosales, A. (2018). EVALUATION OF THREE ORGANIC SOIL EMENDATIONS ON CLAY SOIL FOR BLUEBERRY CULTIVAR USING CLUSTER INTERPOLATED SPATIAL MAPS. Agronomía Costarricense, 42(2). https://doi.org/10.15517/rac.v42i2.33783
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Seliger, S. (2007, February 16). “Superfoods” That May Help Ward off Heart Disease, Cancer, Cholesterol, and More. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/superfoods-everyone-needs#:~:text=Blueberries%2C%20an%20Antioxidant%20Superfood
  7. ↑ Soil textural triangle published by the USDA-NRCS showing the relative amounts of sand, silt, and clay in each of the 12 textural classes
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Government of Canada, P. S. and P. C. (2020). Crop Profile for Highbush Blueberry in Canada, 2020. Publications.gc.ca. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2021/aac-aafc/A118-10-8-2020-eng.pdf
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Tepe, E. S., Hoover, E. E., Luby, J., Klodd , A., & Schuh, M. (2020). Growing blueberries in the home garden. Extension.umn.edu. https://extension.umn.edu/fruit/growing-blueberries-home-garden
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Caspersen, S., Svensson, B., Håkansson, T., Winter, C., Khalil, S., & Asp, H. (2016). Blueberry—Soil interactions from an organic perspective. Scientia Horticulturae, 208, 78–91. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2016.04.002
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Government of British Columbia . (2019). Blueberries - Province of British Columbia. Gov.bc.ca. https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/industry/agriservice-bc/production-guides/berries/blueberries
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 Government of Canada, P. S. and P. C. (2020). Crop Profile for Highbush Blueberry in Canada, 2020. Publications.gc.ca. https://publications.gc.ca/collections/collection_2021/aac-aafc/A118-10-8-2020-eng.pdf
  13. ↑ Gilbert, J. L., Guthart, M. J., Gezan, S. A., Pisaroglo de Carvalho, M., Schwieterman, M. L., Colquhoun, T. A., Bartoshuk, L. M., Sims, C. A., Clark, D. G., & Olmstead, J. W. (2015). Identifying Breeding Priorities for Blueberry Flavor Using Biochemical, Sensory, and Genotype by Environment Analyses. PLOS ONE, 10(9), e0138494. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0138494
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 Rusnak, P. (2020, March 18). What are the Major Influences on Berry Flavor? Growing Produce. https://www.growingproduce.com/fruits/what-are-the-major-influences-on-berry-flavor/
  15. ↑ Origins and bioavailability of dissolved organic matter in groundwater Regional Chromatography Model—precipitation and surface water leaches dissolved organic matter (DOM) from vegetation and plant litter and percolates through the soil column to the saturated zone. The concentration, composition, and bioavailability of DOM are altered during transport through the soil column by various physicochemical and biological processes, including sorption, desorption, biodegradation and biosynthesis. Hydrophobic molecules are preferentially partitioned onto soil minerals and have a longer retention time in soils than hydrophilic molecules. The hydrophobicity and retention time of colloids and dissolved molecules in soils are controlled by their size, polarity, charge, and bioavailability. Bioavailable DOM is subjected to microbial decomposition, resulting in a reduction in size and molecular weight. Novel molecules are synthesized by soil microbes, and some of these metabolites enter the DOM re
  16. ↑ He, X., Hou, E., Liu, Y., & Wen, D. (2016). Altitudinal patterns and controls of plant and soil nutrient concentrations and stoichiometry in subtropical China. Scientific Reports, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/srep24261
  17. ↑ Map of regions in the Lower Mainland (British Columbia) for use on Wikivoyage, SVG base file
  18. ↑ Grow BC . (2014). What are blueberries? Where are blueberries produced in BC? How many blueberries do we produce? https://bcaitc.ca/sites/default/files/resources/GrowBC_2014_Blueberries.pdf
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Vancouver-Geomap. (n.d.). CGEN Archive. https://www.cgenarchive.org/vancouver-geomap.html


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