VACCINIUM FOLLOWING AN ARABLE CROP – WHY IS IT A FAILURE?

Highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum) planted on arable land (previously cultivated with agricultural crops) showed very poor development, whereas plants on virgin land (cleared forest land) had good vegetative and generative growth.
The differences in plant development at these two sites could not be explained on the basis of physical or chemical soil properties.

An additional field study was conducted in 1987 on Vaccinium corymbosum on a forest site (spontaneous seedlings in a pine forest), virgin land and arable land (both with cultivated plants). Roots were widely spread on the forest site, while the roots in arable land were very dense and restricted to a small soil volume.
Plants on virgin land had an intermediate root growth.
The roots at all sites were infected with ericoid mycorrhiza.
The infection status was highest on the forest site and lowest on arable land, where a high pathogen assessment was observed.

Workshop on Replant Problems with Fruit Trees

D. Bläsing

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1988.233.16