EFFECT OF SOIL MANAGEMENT AND WATER STRESS UPON GROWTH AND CROPPING OF THE HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY

The field trial on ‘Bluecrop’ highbush blueberry, planted in 1986 on a podsolic sandy soil, was carried out in 1987–1995. The effect of six fertilizer treatments: (control, P, N+K+Mg, N+K+Mg, N+P+K+Mg, N+P+Mg, N+P+K, was compared in split-plot factorial design, for two soil management systems (clean cultivation and bark mulch) in sub-blocks.
Terminal growth, size of bushes, yield and quality of berries were recorded.
As determinants of root growth, the soil matrix water potential and temperature at 15- and 25-cm were measured under both clean cultivation and pine-bark mulch.
It was found that during a period of prolonged drought mulching on unfertilized plots increased water retention as expressed in soil matrix potential lower by 150–200 hPa than under clean cultivated soil.
On the other hand, with full mineral fertilization, mulching resulted in 15-cm depth in higher soil matrix potential (more water depletion), while ate 25-cm depth a pronounced decrease in potential was found like that on unfertilized plots (more water retained). On both fertilized and unfertilized plots, mulching gave a lower temperature of soil surface layers by 205 degrees.
On average, mulching resulted in better growth and higher yield.

VI International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture

K. Pliszka, K. Scibisz, H. Rojek, S. Zakowicz

Vaccinium corymbosum L., mineral fertilization, soil matrix potential, soil temperature, soil moisture retention, pine bark mulch

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.446.69