Balancing nitrogen: Application rates and methods in blueberries
Introduction
Highbush blueberries are adapted to grow best in acidic soils with a pH between 4.2 and 5.5. These acidic soils have lower nutrient availability, so blueberries have adapted to use nutrients efficiently with minimal needs. In commercial farming, however, blueberries are given N fertilizer each year to maximize fruit production. Blueberries live and produce fruit for 20 to 30 years, but most research on N use in blueberries has been short-term, lasting only two to four years. This has prompted an important question: How does N fertilization affect blueberry production in the long term?
To answer this question, this study looks into how different rates and methods (broadcast and fertigation) of N application affected fruit yield, fruit acidity, plant nutrient levels, and soil characteristics after 12 to 13 years.
Charitha Jayasinghege.
Based on the Government of British Columbia’s (B.C.) ‘Blueberry Production Guide: Nutrient Management’, this study tested four different N application rates: no N applied (‘0x’), the recommended N rate (‘1x’), 1.5 times the recommended rate (‘1.5x’), and 2 times the recommended rate (‘2x’).
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About this Brief
This brief was prepared by the BC Food Web team with the help of Charitha P.A. Jayasinghege, and is based on the following scientific journal article:
Jayasinghege, C. P. A., Bineng, C., & Messiga, A. J. (2024). Effects of long-term nitrogen fertilization and
application methods on fruit yield, plant nutrition, and soil chemical properties in highbush blueberries.
Horticulturae, 10(11). https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10111205
Have Feedback or Questions?
Let us know your thoughts about the brief at bc.foodweb@ubc.ca.
Key Findings
- Applying nitrogen (N) fertilizer at rates higher than current Provincial recommendations can reduce blueberry fruit yield, affect fruit taste, and create unfavourable soil conditions for plant growth.
- The negative effects of high N fertilizer rates on blueberry fruit yield and the decline in soil pH were more noticeable with fertigation compared to broadcast applications.
- It may also be possible to use N application rates lower than current recommendations without compromising blueberry fruit production, but this has yet to be tested.