Chemigation with Micronized Sulfur Rapidly Reduces Soil pH in a New Planting of Northern Highbush Blueberry

Northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) is adapted to acidic soil conditions and often grows poorly when soil pH is greater than 5.5. When soil pH is high, growers will usually mix prilled elemental sulfur (So) into the soil before planting (converted to sulfuric acid by soil bacteria) and, if needed, inject acid into the irrigation water after planting. These practices are effective but often expensive, time consuming, and, in the case of acid, potentially hazardous. Here, we examined the potential of applying micronized So by chemigation through a drip system as an alternative to reduce soil pH in a new planting of ‘Duke’ blueberry. The planting was located in western Oregon and established on raised beds mulched with sawdust in Oct. 2010. The So product was mixed with water and injected weekly for a period of ≈2 months before planting and again for period of ≈2 months in late summer of the second year after planting (to assess its value for reducing soil pH once the field was established), at a total rate of 0, 50, 100, and 150 kg·ha−1 So on both occasions. Each treatment was compared with the conventional practice of incorporating prilled So into the soil before planting (two applications of 750 kg·ha−1 So each in July and Oct. 2010). Within a month of the first application of So, chemigation reduced soil pH (0–10 cm depth) from an average of 6.6 with no So to 6.1 with 50 kg·ha−1 So and 5.8 with 100 or 150 kg·ha−1 So. However, the reductions in pH were short term, and by May of the following year (2011), soil pH averaged 6.7, 6.5, 6.2, and 6.1 with each increasing rate of So chemigation, respectively. Soil pH in the conventional treatment, in comparison, averaged 6.6 a month after the first application and 6.3 by the following May. In July 2012, soil pH ranged from an average of 6.4 with no So to 6.2 with 150 kg·ha−1 So and 5.5 with prilled So. Soil pH declined to as low as 5.9 following postplanting So chemigation and, at lower depths (10–30 cm), was similar between the treatment chemigated with 150 kg·ha−1 So and the conventional treatment. None of the treatments had any effect on winter pruning weight in year 1 or on yield, berry weight, or total dry weight of the plants in year 2. Concentration of P, K, Ca, Mg, S, and Mn in the leaves, on the other hand, was lower with So chemigation than with prilled So during the first year after planting, whereas concentration of N, P, and S in the leaves were lower with So chemigation during the second year. The findings indicate that So chemigation can be used to quickly reduce soil pH after planting and therefore may be a useful practice to correct high pH problems in established northern highbush blueberry fields; however, it was less effective and more time consuming than applying prilled So before planting.

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Response of Highbush Blueberry to Nitrogen Fertilizer during Field Establishment—II. Plant Nutrient Requirements in Relation to Nitrogen Fertilizer Supply

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.47.7.917 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (7) ◽

pp. 917-926 ◽

Cited By ~ 11

Author(s):

David R. Bryla ◽

Bernadine C. Strik ◽

M. Pilar Bañados ◽

Timothy L. Righetti

Keyword(s):

Nitrogen Fertilizer ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

N Fertilizer ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Total Biomass ◽

Nutrient Analysis ◽

Zn Content ◽

Second Year ◽

Fruit Harvest

A study was done to determine the macro- and micronutrient requirements of young northern highbush blueberry plants (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Bluecrop’) during the first 2 years of establishment and to examine how these requirements were affected by the amount of nitrogen (N) fertilizer applied. The plants were spaced 1.2 × 3.0 m apart and fertilized with 0, 50, or 100 kg·ha−1 of N, 35 kg·ha−1 of phosphorus (P), and 66 kg·ha−1 of potassium (K) each spring. A light fruit crop was harvested during the second year after planting. Plants were excavated and parts sampled for complete nutrient analysis at six key stages of development, from leaf budbreak after planting to fruit harvest the next year. The concentration of several nutrients in the leaves, including N, P, calcium (Ca), sulfur (S), and manganese (Mn), increased with N fertilizer application, whereas leaf boron (B) concentration decreased. In most cases, the concentration of nutrients was within or above the range considered normal for mature blueberry plants, although leaf N was below normal in plants grown without fertilizer in Year 1, and leaf B was below normal in plants fertilized with 50 or 100 kg·ha−1 N in Year 2. Plants fertilized with 50 kg·ha−1 N were largest, producing 22% to 32% more dry weight (DW) the first season and 78% to 90% more DW the second season than unfertilized plants or plants fertilized with 100 kg·ha−1 N. Most DW accumulated in new shoots, leaves, and roots in both years as well as in fruit the second year. New shoot and leaf DW was much greater each year when plants were fertilized with 50 or 100 kg·ha−1 N, whereas root DW was only greater at fruit harvest and only when 50 kg·ha−1 N was applied. Application of 50 kg·ha−1 N also increased DW of woody stems by fruit harvest, but neither 50 nor 100 kg·ha−1 N had a significant effect on crown, flower, or fruit DW. Depending on treatment, plants lost 16% to 29% of total biomass at leaf abscission, 3% to 16% when pruned in winter, and 13% to 32% at fruit harvest. The content of most nutrients in the plant followed the same patterns of accumulation and loss as plant DW. However, unlike DW, magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) content in new shoots and leaves was similar among N treatments the first year, and N fertilizer increased N and S content in woody stems much earlier than it increased biomass of the stems. Likewise, N, P, S, and Zn content in the crown were greater at times when N fertilizer was applied, whereas K and Ca content were sometimes lower. Overall, plants fertilized with 50 kg·ha−1 N produced the most growth and, from planting to first fruit harvest, required 34.8 kg·ha−1 N, 2.3 kg·ha−1 P, 12.5 kg·ha−1 K, 8.4 kg·ha−1 Ca, 3.8 kg·ha−1 Mg, 5.9 kg·ha−1 S, 295 g·ha−1 Fe, 40 g·ha−1 B, 23 g·ha−1 copper (Cu), 1273 g·ha−1 Mn, and 65 g·ha−1 Zn. Thus, of the total amount of fertilizer applied over 2 years, only 21% of the N, 3% of the P, and 9% of the K were used by plants during establishment.

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Compost Feedstock and Compost Acidification Affect Growth and Mineral Nutrition in Northern Highbush Blueberry

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci13599-18 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 (6) ◽

pp. 1067-1076 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Ryan C. Costello ◽

Dan M. Sullivan ◽

David R. Bryla ◽

Bernadine C. Strik ◽

James S. Owen

Keyword(s):

Root Growth ◽

Mineral Nutrition ◽

C:N Ratio ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

High Rate ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Total N ◽

Shoot Dry Weight ◽

Northern Highbush Blueberry

New markets for organic northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) have stimulated interest in using composts specifically tailored to the plant’s edaphic requirements. Because composts are typically neutral to alkaline in pH (pH 7 to 8), and blueberry requires acidic soil (pH 4.2 to 5.5), we investigated elemental sulfur (S0) addition as a methodology for reducing compost pH. The objectives were to 1) characterize initial compost chemistry, including the pH buffering capacity of compost (acidity required to reduce pH to 5.0), 2) measure changes in compost chemistry accompanying acidification, and 3) evaluate plant growth and mineral nutrition of blueberry in soil amended with an untreated or acidified compost. Ten composts prepared from diverse feedstocks were obtained from municipalities and farms. Addition of finely ground S0 reduced compost pH from 7.2 to 5.3, on average, after 70 d at 22 °C, and increased the solubility of nutrients, including K (from 22 to 36 mmol(+)/L), Ca (from 5 to 19 mmol(+)/L), Mg (from 5 to 20 mmol(+)/L), and Na (from 6 to 9 mmol(+)/L). Sulfate-S, a product of S0 oxidation, also increased from 5 to 45 mmol(−)/L. The composts were incorporated into soil at a high rate (30% v/v) in a greenhouse trial to evaluate their suitability for use in blueberry production. Shoot and root growth were strongly affected by compost chemical characteristics, including pH and electrical conductivity (EC). Potassium in compost was highly variable (2–32 g·kg−1). Concentration of K in the leaves increased positively in response to compost K, whereas shoot dry weight and root growth declined. Leaf Mg also declined in response to compost K, suggesting that elevated K concentrations in compost may cause Mg deficiency. Composts with the highest K were also high in total N, pH, and EC. Compost acidification to pH ≤ 6 improved growth and increased leaf Mg concentration. On the basis of these results, composts derived from animal manures or young plant tissues (e.g., green leaves) appear to be unsuitable for high-rate applications to blueberry because they usually require high amounts of S0 for acidification and are often high in EC and K, whereas those derived from woody materials, such as local yard debris, appear promising based on their C:N ratio, compost acidification requirement, and EC.

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Implications of Irrigation Method and Amount of Water Application on Phytophthora and Pythium Infection and Severity of Root Rot in Highbush Blueberry

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.42.6.1463 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 42 (6) ◽

pp. 1463-1467 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

David R. Bryla ◽

Robert G. Linderman

Keyword(s):

Root Rot ◽

Phytophthora Cinnamomi ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Silty Clay ◽

Water Application ◽

Irrigation Method ◽

Northern Highbush Blueberry

A 2-year study was done in Oregon to determine the effects of irrigation method and level of water application on the development of root rot in northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Duke’). Plants were grown on mulched, raised beds and irrigated by overhead sprinklers, microsprays, or drip at 50%, 100%, and 150% of the estimated crop evapotranspiration requirement. Soil at the site was a silty clay loam. By the end of the first season, plants were largest with drip, intermediate-sized with microsprays and smallest with sprinklers; however, this was not the case the next season. By the end of year 2, plants irrigated by drip had less canopy cover, fewer new canes, lower pruning weights, and only half the shoot and root dry weight as plants irrigated by sprinklers or microsprays. Destructive sampling revealed that the field was infested by root rot. Less growth with drip was association with higher levels of infection by the root pathogen, Phytophthora cinnamomi. Phytophthora infection increased with water application, regardless of irrigation method, but averaged 14% with drip and only 7% with sprinklers and microsprays. Roots were also infected by Pythium spp. Pythium infection likewise increased with the total amount of water applied but, unlike P. cinnamomi, was similar among irrigation methods. Overall, drip irrigation maintained higher soil water content near the base of the plants than sprinklers and microsprays, resulting in conditions more favorable to root rot. Sprinklers and microsprays may be better alternatives than drip at sites prone to problems with the disease.

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Ion-specific Limitations of Sodium Chloride and Calcium Chloride on Growth, Nutrient Uptake, and Mycorrhizal Colonization in Northern and Southern Highbush Blueberry

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs05084-21 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-12

Author(s):

David R. Bryla ◽

Carolyn F. Scagel ◽

Scott B. Lukas ◽

Dan M. Sullivan

Keyword(s):

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

Leaf Damage ◽

Plant Tissues ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Salinity Treatment ◽

Four Levels ◽

Total Dry Weight ◽

Southern Highbush

Excess salinity is becoming a prevalent problem for production of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium L. section Cyanococcus Gray), but information on how and when it affects the plants is needed. Two experiments, including one on the northern highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivar, Bluecrop, and another on the southern highbush (V. corymbosum interspecific hybrid) cultivar, Springhigh, were conducted to investigate their response to salinity and assess whether any suppression in growth was ion specific or due primarily to osmotic stress. In both cases, the plants were grown in soilless media (calcined clay) and fertigated using a complete nutrient solution containing four levels of salinity [none (control), low (0.7–1.3 mmol·d−1), medium (1.4–3.4 mmol·d−1), and high (2.8–6.7 mmol·d−1)] from either NaCl or CaCl2. Drainage was minimized in each treatment except for periodic determination of electrical conductivity (EC) using the pour-through method, which, depending on the experiment, reached levels as high as 3.2 to 6.3 dS·m−1 with NaCl and 7.8 to 9.5 dS·m−1 with CaCl2. Total dry weight of the plants was negatively correlated to EC and, depending on source and duration of the salinity treatment, decreased linearly at a rate of 1.6 to 7.4 g·dS−1·m−1 in ‘Bluecrop’ and 0.4 to 12.5 g·dS−1·m−1 in ‘Springhigh’. Reductions in total dry weight were initially similar between the two salinity sources; however, by the end of the study, which occurred at 125 days in ‘Bluecrop’ and at 111 days in ‘Springhigh’, dry weight declined more so with NaCl than with CaCl2 in each part of the plant, including in the leaves, stems, and roots. The percentage of root length colonized by mycorrhizal fungi also declined with increasing levels of salinity in Bluecrop and was lower in both cultivars when the plants were treated with NaCl than with CaCl2. However, leaf damage, which included tip burn and marginal necrosis, was greater with CaCl2 than with NaCl. In general, CaCl2 had no effect on uptake or concentration of Na in the plant tissues, whereas NaCl reduced Ca uptake in both cultivars and reduced the concentration of Ca in the leaves and stems of Bluecrop and in each part of the plant in Springhigh. Salinity from NaCl also resulted in higher concentrations of Cl and lower concentrations of K in the plant tissues than CaCl2 in both cultivars. The concentration of other nutrients in the plants, including N, P, Mg, S, B, Cu, Fe, Mn, and Zn, was also affected by salinity, but in most cases, the response was similar between the two salts. These results point to ion-specific effects of different salts on the plants and indicate that source is an important consideration when managing salinity in highbush blueberry.

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Individual and Combined Use of Sawdust and Weed Mat Mulch in a New Planting of Northern Highbush Blueberry I. Impacts on Plant Growth and Soil and Canopy Temperature

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci15122-20 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (8) ◽

pp. 1280-1287

Author(s):

Bernadine C. Strik ◽

Amanda J. Davis ◽

David R. Bryla ◽

Scott T. Orr

Keyword(s):

Plant Growth ◽

Root System ◽

Canopy Temperature ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Combined Use ◽

Total Plant ◽

Northern Highbush Blueberry

A 2-year trial was established in Oct. 2016 in western Oregon to evaluate the effects of various in-row mulch treatments on the establishment of northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Duke’). The treatments included douglas fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] sawdust, black weed mat (woven polypropylene groundcover), green weed mat, and sawdust covered with black or green weed mat. Soil temperature was unaffected by the color of the weed mat, but it was often higher during the day in beds with weed mat mulch than in those with sawdust alone or sawdust covered with weed mat. Black or green weed mat also resulted in higher canopy temperatures, particularly when sawdust was underneath the weed mat. Plant growth was mainly unaffected by the color of the weed mat, and the maximum depth of the root system was similar among the mulch treatments. However, plants grown with sawdust mulch, with or without weed mat, had a greater canopy width and volume in year 2, a wider root system in both years, and more dry weight (DW) in the crown in year 1 and in the whips in year 2 than those with weed mat alone. Furthermore, plants with weed mat over sawdust were taller in year 1 and had greater canopy cover and more DW in new wood in year 2 than those with sawdust alone, and they had a larger canopy, more root development, and greater DW in the crown, new and old wood, fruit, and pruning wood in one or both years than those with weed mat alone. Over the course of the 2 years of the study, the net gain in total plant DW was lowest when the plants were grown with black weed mat and highest when they were grown with black weed mat over sawdust. Although it was more expensive initially, the use of weed mat over sawdust resulted in more plant growth than weed mat alone due to the insulating properties of the sawdust, and it was more effective for weed control than using sawdust alone.

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Northern Highbush Blueberry Cultivars Differed in Yield and Fruit Quality in Two Organic Production Systems from Planting to Maturity

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci11972-17 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 52 (6) ◽

pp. 844-851 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Bernadine C. Strik ◽

Amanda J. Vance ◽

Chad E. Finn

Keyword(s):

Soil Ph ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Organic Matter Content ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

Organic Production ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Berry Weight ◽

Northern Highbush Blueberry ◽

On Farm

Northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars were evaluated from planting (Oct. 2006) through 2014 in a certified organic research site in Aurora, OR. The treatments included cultivar (Duke, Bluecrop, Reka, Bluejay, Bluegold, Draper, Legacy, Liberty, Ozarkblue, and Aurora), amendment-mulch [“compost + sawdust” (included preplant amendment and a surface mulch of either an agricultural on-farm crop waste compost or yard-debris compost and sawdust), and “weed mat” (no preplant amendments but with a sawdust mulch topped with weed mat)]. Adding on-farm compost as a preplant amendment and as part of the mulching program increased soil pH from 4.9 to 6.9, organic matter content (OM), and calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and potassium (K) levels compared with the weed mat treatment. The reduced plant growth and yield in some cultivars grown in the compost + sawdust treatment was likely due to the higher soil pH. ‘Bluegold’ and ‘Draper’ were among the cultivars with consistently high flower bud set (40% to 57%), whereas others had consistently low values (e.g., 22% to 45% in ‘Bluecrop’). The number of flowers per bud was affected only by cultivar. There was no effect of year or amendment-mulch treatment on percent fruit set which averaged 93% during the study; however, ‘Ozarkblue’ had a significantly lower fruit set (88%) than only ‘Aurora’ (96%). Berry weight was affected by year (plant age), cultivar, and amendment-mulch treatment. ‘Ozarkblue’ produced the largest berries. Type of amendment-mulch had little effect on berry weight, except in ‘Ozarkblue’, ‘Aurora’, and ‘Reka’ where plants grown with weed mat produced larger fruit than those grown with compost + sawdust. On average, ‘Bluejay’, ‘Draper’, and ‘Liberty’ fruit had the highest percent soluble solids (TSS) and ‘Ozarkblue’ the lowest. Fruit harvested from plants grown with weed mat were firmer than when compost + sawdust was used. ‘Draper’ fruit were much firmer than those of the other cultivars in all years of the study. The number of flower buds per plant multiplied by the number of flowers/bud and berry weight (cultivar specific) and average fruit set was a good predictor of yield in young plants. Yield per plant increased from the second through seventh growing seasons as plants matured in all cultivars except for ‘Duke’ which had the greatest yield in 2014. Cumulative yield was highest in ‘Legacy’ and lowest in ‘Bluejay’ and in ‘Draper’, which had relatively low yield when plants were young. Most cultivars had greater yield when grown with weed mat, whereas ‘Bluegold’ and ‘Liberty’ were unaffected by amendment-mulch treatment. Because weeds were managed in all plots, the cultivar response to amendment-mulch was likely a reflection of sensitivity to preplant amendment with on-farm compost and the resulting higher soil pH. It is possible that the cultivars differed in their adaptability to the various fertility regimes caused by the amendment-mulch treatments and fertilizers used in our study.

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Effects of Cultivar and Plant Spacing on the Seasonal Water Requirements of Highbush Blueberry

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs.132.2.270 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 132 (2) ◽

pp. 270-277 ◽

Cited By ~ 24

Author(s):

David R. Bryla ◽

Bernadine C. Strik

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Water Use ◽

Canopy Cover ◽

Dry Weight ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

High Density ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Plant Water ◽

Water Requirements ◽

Total Dry Weight

Plant water requirements were investigated in three northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) cultivars, Duke, Bluecrop, and Elliott, grown either at a high-density spacing of 0.45 m apart within rows or a more traditional spacing of 1.2 m. Spacing between rows was 3.0 m. As is typical for the species, each cultivar was shallow-rooted with most roots located less than 0.4 m deep, and each was sensitive to soil water deficits with plant water potentials declining as low as −1.6 MPa within 5 to 7 days without rain or irrigation. Compared with traditional spacing, planting at high density significantly reduced dry weight and yield of individual plants but significantly increased total dry weight and yield per hectare. High-density planting also significantly increased total canopy cover and water use per hectare. However, although canopy cover (often considered a factor in water use) increased up to 246%, water use never increased more than 10%. Because of more canopy cover at high density, less water penetrated the canopy during rain or irrigation (by overhead sprinklers), reducing both soil water availability and plant water potential in each cultivar and potentially reducing water use. Among cultivars, water use was highest in ‘Duke’, which used 5 to 10 mm·d−1, and lowest in ‘Elliott’, which used 3 to 5 mm·d−1. Peak water use in each cultivar was during fruit development, but water use after harvest declined sharply. Longer irrigation sets (i.e., longer run times) or alternative irrigation methods (e.g., drip) may be required when growing blueberry at high density, especially in cultivars with dense canopies such as ‘Elliott’.

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Influence of Perlite in Peat- and Coir-based Media on Vegetative Growth and Mineral Nutrition of Highbush Blueberry

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci14640-19 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 55 (5) ◽

pp. 658-663 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Patrick H. Kingston ◽

Carolyn F. Scagel ◽

David R. Bryla ◽

Bernadine C. Strik

Keyword(s):

Mineral Nutrition ◽

Dry Weight ◽

The Other ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

Other Hand ◽

Growth And Nutrition ◽

The Media ◽

Northern Highbush Blueberry ◽

Total Dry Weight ◽

Southern Highbush

Peat and coir are commonly used for substrate production of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium sp.). Perlite is also typically added to improve drainage and stability of the media. The purpose of the present study was to determine how various combinations of each affect growth and nutrition in highbush blueberry. Two cultivars, ‘Liberty’ northern highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum L.) and ‘Jewel’ southern highbush blueberry (interspecific hybrid of V. corymbosum L. and V. darrowii Camp.), were grown for 3 months in media containing 0%, 10%, 20%, or 30% perlite, by volume, and a 1:0, 2:1, 1:2, or 0:1 ratio of peat and coir. At 95 days after transplanting, total dry weight of the ‘Liberty’ plants was greatest in pure peat and progressively less as more coir or perlite was added to the media. Total dry weight of ‘Jewel’ also declined with increasing amounts of perlite but, in this case, was unaffected by the ratio of peat and coir. The response of the plants to perlite did not appear to be a function of pH or nutrition and was most likely related to the effects of perlite on media water relations. Response to peat and coir, on the other hand, may have been due to nutrition and salinity of the media. In both cultivars, a higher amount of peat in the media improved uptake of N, P, Mg, and S and decreased uptake of K, B, Zn, and Na. Coir, on the other hand, contained higher concentrations of Na and Cl than peat. These findings suggest that the use of high amounts of perlite in the media could be detrimental when growing highbush blueberry in substrate, and some cultivars may grow better in peat than in coir.

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Nutrient Assimilation in Southern Highbush Blueberry and Implications for the Field

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.25.4.460 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 460-463 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Rebecca L. Darnell ◽

Bruno Casamali ◽

Jeffrey G. Williamson

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Ph ◽

Nutrient Availability ◽

Vaccinium Corymbosum ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Highbush Blueberry ◽

High Organic Matter ◽

Mineral Soils ◽

Southern Highbush

Successful blueberry (Vaccinium sp.) cultivation typically requires soils with low pH, high organic matter, readily available iron, and nitrogen (N) in the ammonium form. Growth of blueberry on typical mineral soils (higher pH, low organic matter) is reduced. Although soil pH effects on nutrient availability and uptake are known, it is unclear if the requirement for low soil pH in blueberry production is due to effects on nutrient availability/uptake or is a more direct effect of rhizosphere pH on root function. In addition, it is unclear if the requirement for high organic matter (soil amendments) is related directly to nutrient availability/uptake. Several studies have examined the use of rootstocks to increase soil adaptation of blueberry and some of these rootstocks have been found to increase plant vigor and yield. In particular, we have investigated whether sparkleberry (Vaccinium arboreum)—a wild blueberry species that is adapted to high pH and low organic matter soils—could be used as a rootstock for commercial production of blueberry on mineral soils. Our work indicates that both nitrate (NO3−) and iron (Fe) uptake and assimilation are greater in sparkleberry compared with southern highbush blueberry [SHB (Vaccinium corymbosum interspecific hybrid)]. This is correlated with increased activity of nitrate reductase (NR) and iron chelate reductase, the rate limiting enzymes for NO3− and Fe acquisition, respectively. Field studies comparing growth and yield of own-rooted vs. grafted ‘Meadowlark’ and ‘Farthing’ SHB in amended vs. nonamended soils are ongoing. In general, own-rooted plants on amended soils exhibit greater growth than own-rooted on nonamended soils, while grafted plants in either soil system exhibit intermediate growth. Yields generally followed this pattern. Our preliminary results suggest that tolerance of SHB to mineral soils is greater when plants are grafted onto sparkleberry than when grown on their own roots. However, growth and yield of grafted plants grown under mineral soil conditions may not equal or exceed that of own-rooted plants grown under optimum soil conditions, at least in the first years after field planting. Longer term studies are necessary to fully evaluate the potential of using sparkleberry and other blueberry species as rootstocks for SHB and northern highbush blueberry (V. corymbosum).

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