Effects of Machine-Harvest Interval on Fruit Quality of Fresh Market Northern Highbush Blueberry

Machine harvesting blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) alleviates labor costs and shortages but can reduce fruit quality. Installation of softer catching surfaces inside modified over-the-row harvesters (modified OTR) adjusting harvest intervals may improve quality packout. The objective this study was to determine the effect interval on fresh market northern highbush corymbosum L.) harvested using a OTR. ‘Liberty’ bushes were by hand or OTR at 3-, 10-, 14-day in 2019 7-, 11-, 2020. Hand-harvested had greater packout firmness than machine-harvested fruit. 3-day 2019, 2020 reduced from 70–80% 60% 54%, respectively. In machine overall resulted with firmness, higher titratable acidity (TA), lower total soluble solids (TSS) SS/TA, compared other intervals. 2020, 7-day machine-harvest TA TSS/TA, 11- Overall, be extended 10–11 days for cultivars such as grown northwest Washington.