Read more about the article Reducing leaf chlorosis of ‘Concord’ vines: Effects of FeEDDHA and rootstocks

Reducing leaf chlorosis of ‘Concord’ vines: Effects of FeEDDHA and rootstocks

‘Concord’ vineyards in central Washington are plagued by a leaf chlorosis problem that occurs around bloom. It significantly reduces vine size, vine uniformity, and productivity, and even causes vine death. Chlorotic leaves from WA vineyards have significantly lower active Iron (Fe) compared with green leaves whereas total leaf Fe is the same or even higher; 2) high soil pH induces leaf chlorosis in Concord vines; 3) leaf active Fe content is a better indicator of Concord vine Fe status than total Fe. This project is a continuation of the work. The objectives were to determine the effects of FeEDDHA (a chelated form of Fe) and different rootstocks on reducing leaf chlorosis. A field trial in central WA over 3 years clearly showed that FeEDDHA application significantly decreased the degree of canopy leaf chlorosis; and that Concord vines grafted onto 3309, 5C and 110R had better growth, higher photosynthesis, and less chlorosis than the own-rooted vines at high soil pH (7.6).

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Read more about the article Differentiation and detection of blueberry scorch strains

Differentiation and detection of blueberry scorch strains

The Blueberry scorch virus (BlScV) was first identified in Oregon and Washington in 1987, and later in British Columbia in 2000. It has been found in over 140 blueberry fields in British Columbia. BlScV isolates exhibit a wide range of sequence diversity, with the 'Northwest' strains showing similar diversity to all blueberry scorch virus isolates. Cranberries have been identified as a host of BlScV, with infected bogs found in British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon. In British Columbia, the close proximity of cranberry and blueberry crops allows for efficient transmission of the virus. However, in Oregon and Washington, where cranberries are grown far from major blueberry production areas, transmission by aphids from cranberry to blueberry is limited. Efforts are being made to identify and remove infected bushes and implement control measures to eliminate the virus from affected fields in Oregon and Washington. The diverse strains of blueberry scorch virus make tracking and eradicating the virus challenging. Research efforts are underway to establish a reliable detection method and compare the 'Northwest' strain of the virus with more severe strains found in the northeastern U.S. and British Columbia. This research aimed to investigate the potential for eradicating BlScV from infected fields in Oregon and Washington.

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Read more about the article Can humic acids improve production in mature organic northern highbush blueberry?

Can humic acids improve production in mature organic northern highbush blueberry?

A 3-year study was conducted to investigate the effects of adding humic acids to an organic blueberry fertigation program. The objective is to see if adding organic-approved humic acids to a standard fertilization program in a mature organic blueberry production system will increase yield and affect soil quality and plant nutrients. The study compared the yield, fruit, and leaf nutrient concentration, and soil nutrients of 'Duke' and 'Liberty' blueberry cultivars with and without humic acid application. Over the three years, adding humic acids did not significantly improve yield or alter soil characteristics and plant nutrient levels. The study found no substantial evidence to support the additional cost of adding humic acids to an already healthy and productive organic blueberry system.

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Read more about the article Optimizing Nutrient Management for Organically Grown Blueberries East of the Cascade Range

Optimizing Nutrient Management for Organically Grown Blueberries East of the Cascade Range

Northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) production east of the Cascade Range is an important contributor to the national supply of organic blueberries. However, native soil conditions are alkaline, have high free calcium content, and low in organic matter. Although growers amend soils to lower pH and provide organic matter, these soil characteristics influence nutrient cycling and availability. Growers need data-driven guidelines on how to optimize nutrient management for their unique growing conditions, but few studies have been conducted in this important region. This project addressed that need with an emphasis on organic nitrogen fertility practices by evaluating the effects of commercially available organic nitrogen fertilizer sources applied at low, medium, and high rates on blueberry yield, fruit quality, and various plant and soil variables. Organic fertilizer nitrogen mineralization dynamics were also characterized via a laboratory incubation study at different temperatures.

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Read more about the article Trials of Advanced Raspberry selections to evaluate suitability for IQF processing and to promote adoption

Trials of Advanced Raspberry selections to evaluate suitability for IQF processing and to promote adoption

A new cultivar, ‘Cascade Premier’, and an advanced selection, ‘WSU 2188’, were compared with industry standard cultivars under commercial production and processing conditions. The cultivars were evaluated for Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) processing quality, yield, pest tolerance, disease susceptibility and winter hardiness. ‘Cascade Premier’ was compared with adjacent, similarly managed ‘WakeHaven®’. ‘Cascade Premier’ yields were limited at one location by cane botrytis, which reduced the numbers of fruiting laterals. ‘Cascade Premier’ generally produced fewer, but larger fruits than WakeHaven®. Under warm conditions favoring rapid ripening, ‘Cascade Premier’ produced IQF quality fruit when harvest intervals were short enough (less than 3 days), but became too soft for IQF processing at longer harvest intervals.

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