IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT EFFECTS ON YIELD AND FRUIT QUALITY OF HIGHBUSH BLUEBERRY

A study was done to determine the effects of irrigation method and level of water application on yield and fruit quality of ‘Elliott’ highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.). Plants were grown on mulched, raised beds and irrigated by overhead sprinklers, microsprays, or drip at 50, 100, and 150% of the crop evapotranspiration requirement (ET_c). Overall, marketable yield and individual berry weight were higher in plants irrigated by drip than in those irrigated by sprinklers and microsprays.
Yield and berry weight were also higher on average when plants were irrigated at 100% ET_c than at 50% ET_c but were similar between plants irrigated at 100% and 150% ET_c. Thus, as expected, plants were generally under-irrigated at 50% ET_c and over-irrigated at 150% ET_c; however, this was not always the case.
Yield did not increase between 50% and 100% ETc when plants were irrigated by drip, and berry weight increased from 100% to 150% ET_c when plants were irrigated by microsprays.
Interestingly, drip reduced berry firmness and soluble solids relative to sprinkler and microspray irrigation, potentially increasing problems with soft fruit during shipping and storage.
Titratable acidity was also lower with drip but only when plants were irrigated at 50% ET_c. While irrigation method and the amount of water application affected yield and fruit quality in blueberry, more work is needed to identify the best combinations of each to produce the most marketable fruit.

IX International Vaccinium Symposium

D.R. Bryla, B. Yorgey, A.D. Shireman

Vaccinium corymbosum, fruit quality, evapotranspiration, irrigation, water stress, yield

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2009.810.86