Gypsum - an alternative to chemical fertilizers in lowbush blueberry production.

摘要

Five experimental trials were established in commercial lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) fields in eastern Canada and monitored over 2 cropping cycles (1998 to 2001) to determine the value of gypsum as a soil amendment. Experimental sites were located in Belle river and Mount Stewart, Prince Edward Island and Tower, Fern Walker and Debert, Nova Scotia. Lowbush blueberry plants were treated at each cropping cycle with either: (1) no application (control), (2) 10-10-10 NPK fertilizer applied at 300 kg/ha (268 lb/acre), (3) gypsum applied at 4 t/ha (3572 lb/acre), or (4) the combination of (2) and (3). In the first cropping cycle, the application of gypsum and gypsum with fertilizer significantly increased tissue concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mn and S compared with the control and fertilizer only treatments. Tissue K, Ca, Mn and S were significantly increased in the second cropping cycle with gypsum application. Soil pH was reduced in the second cropping cycle with gypsum application. Gypsum with fertilizer increased stem length, live buds, total buds and total blossoms in the first cropping cycle compared with the control. The treatments had no significant effect on marketable yield.