SUMMARY
A wide variety of hardy highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars are suitable for cultivation in parts of North-Eastern Canada, and especially Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley (latitude 45 EN). The object of this research was to investigate the potential to expand late market opportunities for exported fruit from northern areas by using a combination of controlled atmosphere (CA) storage and in-field row covers to delay fruit maturity in two cultivars (‘Bluegold’ and ‘Brigitta’), and to advance maturity in the cultivar ‘Elliott’, that normally matures too late for full harvest at this latitude. Covering ‘Blue-gold’ and ‘Brigitta’ with 50% shading from time of fruit set to harvest delayed full harvest by about 2.5 weeks in the first year. Yield decreases were recorded in the 2nd year of covering suggesting that covering with this density may diminish long-term yield potential. Fruit quality following after 6 weeks of CA storage (10% CO2, 16% O2, 0°C) was not affected by shading and after 42 days of storage fruit showed very little decay. Decay increased substantially after 63 days of storage. A removable row cover (6 mil polyethylene) advanced maturity in ‘Elliott’ in the first year by between 10 and 14 days, but this advancement was not repeated in the second season. In the first year, covering the crop only until petal drop was nearly as effective as covering throughout the season. Yield from covered plants was increased about 25% in the first year as compared with the controls, but this increase was not realized in the second year. ‘Elliott’ fruit from all treatments stored successfully for up to 42 days, and up to 63 days in control plants; fruit from covered plants showed a 30% decline in marketability when subjected to an additional 7 days in air at 7°C following 63 days in CA.