Effect of organic amendments on half-highbush blueberry production and soil fertility

Abstract

Five treatments were compared using two half-highbush blueberry cultivars (cv Chippewa and Polaris) transplanted and grown for their first three growing seasons at a site in Boutiliers Point, N.S., a Gibraltar brown sandy loam (Ferro-Humic Podzol). The five treatments were as follows: Alfalfa meal + rock P + wood ash; NPK fertilizer; Municipal Solid Waste (MSWC) compost; Ruminant compost; food waste, manure and yardwaste compost (FMYC). All amendments were weighed and applied in an amount equivalent to the total N of the recommended NPK fertilizer for blueberries, assuming 25% N availability from each of the organic amendments. Soil extractable nutrients, leaf nutrients and fruit yields were measured and compared. The fertility treatments produced few effects on extractable levels of nutrients in the soil and leaf. ‘Chippewa’ responded more than ‘Polaris’ to the fertility treatments. The K fertilizing ability of the Ruminant compost was evident in all three growing seasons. ‘Chippewa’ showed consistent soil and leaf P response to Ruminant compost throughout the growing season; however, it failed to produce a comparative increase in the fruit yield. The NPK fertilizer treatment reduced the soil pH compared to other soil amendments while the MSW treatment increased the soil pH each year. The yield results showed that there were no statistical differences between the treatments for either cultivar (one year of data). Thus, the composts provided equivalent amounts of plant essential nutrients without increasing the trace element concentration in soil and tissue.