UGA releases New Blueberry Variety to Honor Dr. Gerald Krewer
A new blueberry variety has been released by The University of Georgia and is being named in honor of one of UGA’s blueberry pioneers and recent retirees. ‘Krewer™’, named after Dr. Gerard Krewer, is a very large fruited blueberry (Fig. 1) that ripens in late May to early June in south Georgia. The new variety has shown high yield potential in early experimental trials (Fig. 2), and offers a great companion variety for the recently released large fruited ‘Titan™’. ‘Krewer™’ is suitable for commercial production, pick-your-own operations, and home gardens.
Figure 1. Berries of the new UGA blueberry variety ‘Krewer™’.
Dr. Krewer was a vital part of the early establishment and explosive growth of the blueberry industry in Georgia from the mid--‐1980’s up through his retirement in 2013. He worked on numerous projects with growers, County Agents, and Research Scientists in his capacity as a CAES Extension Specialist. Dr. Krewer’s blueberry work included growth regulator assessments, pruning trials, variety evaluations, and fertility and mulch experimentation among other things. UGA’s blueberry breeder, Dr. Scott NeSmith, worked along side Dr. Krewer for more than 20 years. When asked why he named a variety ‘Krewer™’, NeSmith replied, “It seemed only befitting that Dr. Krewer be honored with a variety named after him. His legacy of service to the industry will last for years to come and is worthy of honor and emulation.”
Figure 2. Young plants of the new blueberry variety ‘Krewer™’ during ripening.
For more information on ‘Krewer™’ licensing and availability, contact The University of Georgia Research Foundation’s Technology Commercialization Office at 706-542-5942. Also, look for more detailed information on this and other UGA blueberry varieties on the Georgia’s Integrated Cultivar Release System web site at http://georgiacultivars.com/cultivars/blueberries/
Figure 3. Dr. Gerard Krewer (left) being presented the first plants of the new blueberry variety ‘Krewer™’ by Dr. Scott NeSmith (right) at the 2015 Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Tradeshow in Savannah, Ga.