Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.4, 291-303 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 297 Postharvest elicitation treatments have recently attracted increasing attention as a strategy for blueberry preservation. Varaldo et al. (2024) reported that an appropriate low-dose UV-B treatment promoted the accumulation of anthocyanins and phenolic compounds in postharvest ‘Cargo’ blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.), reduced fruit weight loss, delayed quality deterioration, and improved nutritional preservation during storage. In addition, edible coatings, modified atmosphere packaging, and other green preservation technologies are increasingly applied in blueberry postharvest management (Lopes et al., 2026) (Figure 2). By reducing respiration activity and water loss, these approaches help minimize nutrient degradation and extend fruit shelf life. Figure 2 Benefits of edible coatings for blueberry fruit preservation (Adopted from Lopes et al., 2026) 5 Field Evidence from Major Blueberry Production Regions in China 5.1 Caota town, Zhejiang province Caota Town in Zhuji City, Zhejiang Province, is a representative blueberry production area in eastern China and one of the earlier regions in the Yangtze River Delta to develop large-scale blueberry cultivation. In a multi-location comparison of blueberry production areas in China, Zeng et al. (2020) selected Caota Town as a representative low- to medium-altitude site and evaluated fruit quality of the same rabbiteye blueberry cultivar ‘Brightwell’ (Vaccinium virgatum Aiton). Located at approximately 199 m altitude, blueberries from Caota Town showed a soluble solids content (TSS) of 10.3%, titratable acidity (TA) of 0.52%, TSS/TA ratio of 20.0, total flavonoid content of 0.94 mg rutin·g⁻¹ FW, total phenolic content of 1.44 mg gallic acid g⁻¹ FW, proanthocyanidin content of 2.40 mg catechin·g⁻¹ FW, and anthocyanin content of only 0.26 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside g⁻¹ FW. Among all surveyed locations, blueberries from Caota Town showed relatively lower levels of anthocyanins and other bioactive compounds compared with high-altitude production areas in southwestern China. Under the same cultivar background, blueberries from Caota Town also showed lower sweetness, total flavonoid content, and total phenolic content than those produced in high-altitude regions such as Yunnan and Guizhou. This suggests that low-altitude environments in eastern China may not naturally favor strong anthocyanin accumulation. However, this does not mean that Zhejiang is unsuitable for high-quality blueberry production. Instead, it indicates that ecological conditions strongly influence fruit quality, and more precise orchard management practices are needed to compensate for environmental limitations and improve fruit nutritional value. 5.2 Guizhou province Guizhou Province is one of the most promising blueberry production regions in China. Its unique karst landscape, high altitude, large day–night temperature differences, and sufficient solar radiation provide favorable conditions for anthocyanin accumulation and the formation of other bioactive compounds. Zeng et al. (2020) compared blueberry quality from Xuanwei (750 m) and Xianchang (912 m) in Guizhou and found that fruit quality at both sites was significantly higher than that in Caota Town, Zhejiang Province. In Xuanwei, anthocyanin content reached 0.83 mg cyanidin-3-glucoside g⁻¹ FW, while total flavonoids, total phenolics, and sweetness scores were also higher than those observed in low-altitude regions, indicating that Guizhou’s ecological conditions are more suitable for producing blueberries with high nutritional quality.
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