New Blueberry Variety “Pinnacle”Available
NC State University and US Dept of Ag release new early-ripening blueberry variety
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‘Pinnacle’ is a new blueberry variety being jointly released by N. C. State University and the United States Department of Agriculture during winter 2013/2014. ‘Pinnacle’ was tested at several locations in southeastern NC as experimental selection US 508. ‘Pinnacle’ is early ripening, from between ‘O’Neal’ and ‘New Hanover’ to about the same season as ‘New Hanover’.
The new “Pinnacle” variety of highbush blueberries produces a high percentage of large size fruit, a significantly higher percentage than ‘New Hanover’. Yield is average, but size and flavor are exceptional. The berries are light blue with a very good picking scar and fruit quality, and good fruit firmness and shelf-life. The plant is moderately vigorous and semi-upright in growth habit, and has only performed well on “good highbush blueberry soils” in the commercial blueberry production area in southeastern NC up to this point.
N. C. State University has 1200 two year old nursery plants of ‘Pinnacle’ available for immediate sale to commercial blueberry growers under a Trialing Agreement with the University. The price for the plants will be $5.00 each to cover the costs for propagation, growing out and maintaining the plants over the last two years. Growers who are interested in purchasing plants should contact Dr. Robert Whitehead in the Office of Technology Transfer at N. C. State University (see his contact information below).
If requests exceed available plant numbers, then plants will be prorated accordingly. Also, growers who did not purchase rooted cuttings of US 508 during 2010 and 2011 will be given first priority in allocation of ‘Pinnacle’ plants.
Growers interested in purchasing plants of ‘Pinnacle’ for evaluation on their farm should contact Dr. Robert Whitehead directly by December 31, 2013.
Contact Information For Dr. Whitehead:
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