Influence of soil type on half-highbush blueberry productivity

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of mineral and peat soil condition on the growth, yield and nutrient uptake of some half-highbush blueberry cultivars. The peat soil experimental site was located in a harvested (milled) peat field. Four half-highbush blueberry (Vaccinium spp.) cultivars (five- and six-year-old plants) were used in the experiment: ‘Aino’, ‘Alvar’, ‘Arne’, and ‘Northblue’. Environmental conditions exercised a considerable influence on biological processes of half-highbush blueberry, at the same time, a genotype-based variation was observed. Cultivar ‘Northblue’ had a higher yield in mineral soil and ‘Aino’ had the highest yield in peat soil considering the average of two years. The peat soil condition in the harvested peat field provided a better supply of nutrients for blueberry bushes compared to mineral soil and this, in its turn, secured better growth and a higher yield of blueberry bushes.