Meet OBG-Belair, Oregon Blueberry’s newest high-yield, mid-chill, large-to-jumbo cultivar

Blueberry developer Oregon Blueberry has commercially released its newest cultivar: OBG-Belair. The proprietary variety was developed for the early- to mid-season market window, particularly for mid-chill and somewhat warmer production regions.

Previously evaluated as OBG-20062, OBG-Belair fills a defined need in the market, shining among its peers for its combination of traits rather than any single characteristic, the company told FreshFruitPortal.com. The cultivar has shown “strong vigor and productivity while producing large-to-jumbo fruit, with the firmness, texture, flavor, and postharvest performance the market is looking for.” 

The berry stood out during the 2026 season, performing particularly well in slightly warmer climates. It requires approximately 400 or more chill hours and averages 82 days from bloom to ripe fruit, the company explained. 

“Its performance in warmer and mid-chill production regions gives growers a promising new option when both field performance and arrival quality are critical,” reads a press release presenting the cultivar.

The company explained that OBG-Belair is currently being evaluated across multiple production environments in North America and Europe, with trials in Australia, Asia, and North Africa. The firm is intentionally looking at the fruit’s performance across different chill profiles and growing conditions to better understand where it performs most consistently. 

According to preliminar results, Oregon Blueberry is prioritizing warmer and mid-chill production regions, but the best commercial fit, they told our site, will be defined once all international trials are finalized. 

“The commercial release comes as the industry seeks greater consistency in early-season blueberry supply,” the firm said. “As retailers work to extend the availability of premium-quality blueberries across the calendar, growers and marketers need varieties that can reliably deliver size, firmness, flavor, and storage performance within the early- to mid-season window. 

OBG-Belair: Bigger, firmer, long-lasting

When asked to compare the variety to traditional cultivars, Oregon Blueberry said OBG-Belair is not here to unseat anyone in particular, but it is a competitive fruit that will give industry staples a run for their money. The firm described it as a “modern alternative to Suziblue,” offering growers strong productivity alongside improved fruit size, firmness, and postharvest quality. 

The cultivar has consistently impressed with its large-to-jumbo fruit, averaging 20.5 mm in diameter. The berry has also held up well in storage, with firmness averaging 327.8 g/mm over a four-week storage trial. 

In the field, OBG-Belair develops into a vigorous cultivar with a well-balanced plant structure and favorable leaf-to-fruit ratio. The variety is noted for heavy yields, large fruit, and ease of picking. 

In 2025 Oregon trials, four-year-old plants averaged 19.84 lbs per plant. These characteristics can help improve harvest efficiency and support premium market returns. 

The rapid growth of young OBG-Belair plants has been another distinguishing characteristic. Oregon Blueberry said it has observed strong first-year establishment and vigorous growth, giving growers the potential to establish productive plantings quickly. 

*All images courtesy of Oregon Blueberry. 

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