A COMPARISON OF ORGANIC AND CONVENTIONAL NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS FOR YOUNG BLUEBERRY NURSERY STOCK

This study compared organic and conventional nutrient management practices on establishment of young blueberries.
Plants were propagated by rooting soft-wood cuttings, and transplanted into either pots or nursery field-beds.
Trials were carried out over three seasons, between 2001-2003 using highbush (‘Duke’, ‘Nui’) and rabbiteye cultivars (‘Maru’, ‘Centurion’). Growth was assessed after plants were fed with comparable amounts of either a balanced chemical fertiliser mix, or nutrients that fitted an organic code of practice.
Leaf samples were collected in late summer (February) and analysed for major and minor elements.
Plants that received nutrients in organic forms had lower foliar concentrations of both nitrogen and phosphorus, and deficiency symptoms were visible in some leaves.
From this work it was apparent that young blueberry plants had high nutritional requirements for optimum growth.
It was more difficult to supply enough nutrients for optimal growth using organic formulations, and a constant and steady input of low concentrations of a balanced nutrient mix is recommended for young blueberry plants.

VIII International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture

S.A. Miller, N. Patel, A. Muller, D.M. Edwards, S.T. Solomona

Vaccinium, nutrition, sawdust mulch, bio-stimulant, fertigation

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2006.715.64