High-chill blueberry variety offers shelf-life exceeding 60 days and approximately 80 per cent of fruit above 18mm diameter
Fall Creek Farm & Nursery has revealed that it will introduce the high-chill blueberry variety Sekoya Nova ‘FC15-173’ at Fruit Logistica 2026 in Berlin.
The variety showcases ”distinct fruit quality and production advantages” for mid-late season growing regions, completing the Sekoya portfolio for year-round premium blueberry supply, the group stated.
The company will also feature select Fall Creek Collection varieties spanning multiple chill zones, ”reflecting a genetics portfolio designed to support diverse growing regions and market windows”.
“Growers are being asked to deliver greater consistency in packouts, firmness, shelf-life and harvest efficiency, while navigating tighter labour conditions and higher quality expectations,” said Fall Creek chief commercial officer Paul Nselel.
“Sekoya Nova directly addresses these priorities for mid-late season production, completing our year-round Sekoya offering.
”At Fruit Logistica, we’ll demonstrate how our breeding and applied research are translating into varieties that perform in the field and protect eating quality through the supply chain,” Nselel noted.
Nova in focus
Sekoya Nova ‘FC15-173’ has demonstrated a combination of fruit size distribution and postharvest performance that differentiates it from many high-chill blueberry varieties currently in commercial production, according to Fall Creek evaluation results.
Fall Creek pointed out that, in trials, the variety has shown shelf-life and storability exceeding 60 days while maintaining fruit quality, compared with the roughly 45-day storage window typical of many newer high-chill releases.
Fruit size distribution has also been a key point of differentiation, it confirmed.
Approximately 80 per cent of ‘FC15-173’ fruit exceeded 18mm in diameter, a ”significantly higher proportion” than the 20 to 50 per cent commonly observed in comparable high-chill varieties.
The variety has also demonstrated concentrated ripening, supporting more efficient harvest planning in mid-late season production regions, the company continued.
“What’s stood out in our evaluations is how consistently ‘FC15-173’ holds quality through extended storage,” said Sekoya vice president and general manager Mark David.
“That kind of shelf-life, combined with a high proportion of larger fruit, gives growers more flexibility in harvest timing and helps protect eating quality further down the supply chain.”
The company said it is planning to feature Fall Creek Collection varieties representing multiple chill profiles in Berlin, including KeplerBlue ‘FCM12-038,’ AzraBlue ‘FCM14-031,’ ArabellaBlue ‘FC14-062,’ LoretoBlue ‘FC11-118,’ LunaBlue ‘FC12-205,’ and ‘FCM14-057,’ along with pipeline genetics and trial momentum tied to mechanical harvestability and regional adaptability.
