Narrative
BILOXI, tested as MS318, was selected from a cross of Sharpblue X US329 made by C. L. Gupton at Poplarville, Mississippi. The seedling progeny from which BILOXI was selected in 1986 by J. M. Spiers, C. L. Gupton, and A. D. Draper was grown in south Mississippi. The male parent of BILOXI, US329, came from a cross of US210 X Florida 4-76 made at Beltsville, Maryland by A. D. Draper in 1978. US210 originated from a cross of US67 [(Florida 9A, V. darrowii) X (G-101, V. corymbosum)] X [US132 (Florida 4B, V. darrowii) X (V atrococcum)]. Florida 4-76 came from a cross of Bluecrop, V. corymbosum X 13-236, a seedling from (Florida 4B X V. ashei) X (a northern highbush X V. darrowii). Thus, two diploid, one tetraploid, and one hexaploid Vaccinium species contributed genes to the genotype of BILOXI. Plants grow upright, are vigorous and productive. Fruit is medium in size, has good color, flavor, and firmness, with small picking scar. Fruit ripens early, a few days earlier than Jubilee, but the bloom period is also early. This puts it at risk in years of late spring freezes. Should be interplanted with other southern highbush cultivars to facilitate fruit set, early ripening, and maximum yield. No virus symptoms have been observed on this cultivar. It is recommended that BILOXI be planted in areas where southern highbush blueberries are grown successfully, roughly corresponding to the Gulfcoast Region of USDA plant hardiness zone 8.
Craighton L. Gupton cultivar release
NAMED FOR= Biloxi, Mississippi