Dataset Information

Lowbush blueberry fruit yield and growth response to inorganic and organic N-fertilization when competing with two common weed species.

ABSTRACT: Inorganic N fertilizers are commonly used in commercial blueberry fields; however, this form of N can favor increased weed species' growth, which can ultimately reduce the benefits of fertilization. We hypothesized that chipped ramial wood (CRW) compost is an effective alternative organic fertilizer for blueberry plants when weeds are present, as ericaceous shrub species are generally more efficient in utilizing organic N than herbaceous weed species. In this study, we measured the growth, fruit yield, and foliar N response of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Aiton) to an application of 45 kg N ha-1 in the form of organic (CRW) or inorganic N (ammonium sulfate) in two areas of a commercial field colonized by either poverty oat grass (Danthonia spicata (L.) Beauv.) or sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina (L.) Coult.). We also assessed the impact of the fertilization treatments on litter decomposition rates. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found no significant increase in blueberry fruit yield or growth using CRW. By contrast, inorganic N-fertilization increased fruit yield by 70%. The effect was higher in the area colonized by D. spicata (+83%) than by C. peregrina (+45%). Blueberry fruit yield was on average twice higher in the area of the field having D. spicata than C. peregrina, suggesting a stronger competition with the latter. However, the increase in D. spicata density from 0-1 to >25 plants m-2 reduced fruit production by three-fold and strongly impacted vegetative growth in both fertilized and unfertilized plots. The impact of increased C. peregrina density was comparatively much lower, especially on vegetative growth, which was much higher in the area having C. peregrina. These patterns are likely due to a lower competition for N uptake with C. peregrina as this species can derive N from the atmosphere. Interestingly, the higher fruit yield in the area colonized by D. spicata occurred even in plots where the weeds were nearly absent (density of 0-1 plant m-2), revealing the influence of unidentified variables on blueberry fruit yield. We hypothesized that this difference resulted from over-optimal foliar N concentrations in the area colonized by C. peregrina as suggested by the significantly higher foliar N concentrations and by the negative correlation between foliar N concentrations and fruit yields in this area. The possibility of an influence of C. peregrina on flowering and pollination success, as well as of unidentified local site conditions is discussed. The tested N-fertilization treatments did not affect foliar N concentrations or litter decomposition rates. Overall, our results show that ammonium sulfate is very effective at increasing fruit yields but that both fruit yields and the efficiency of the N-fertilization treatment are decreased by increased D. spicata density, especially above 25 plants m-2. Although CRW did not significantly enhance fruit yields in the short term, this fertilizer may have a long-term beneficial effect.

SUBMITTER: Marty C

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6932764 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Lowbush blueberry fruit yield and growth response to inorganic and organic N-fertilization when competing with two common weed species.

Marty Charles C Lévesque Josée-Anne JA Bradley Robert L RL Lafond Jean J Paré Maxime C MC

PloS one 20191226 12

Inorganic N fertilizers are commonly used in commercial blueberry fields; however, this form of N can favor increased weed species' growth, which can ultimately reduce the benefits of fertilization. We hypothesized that chipped ramial wood (CRW) compost is an effective alternative organic fertilizer for blueberry plants when weeds are present, as ericaceous shrub species are generally more efficient in utilizing organic N than herbaceous weed species. In this study, we measured the growth, fruit ...[more]

PMID: 31877179

Similar Datasets

Project description:Numerous studies have speculated that lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) is less efficient than weed species at taking up inorganic nitrogen (N) derived from fertilizers, thus raising questions as to the effectiveness of N fertilization in commercial fields. However, competition for acquiring N as well as specific interactions between blueberry and companion weeds characterized by contrasted functional traits remain poorly documented. Here, we assessed fertilizer-derived N acquisition efficiency and biomass production in lowbush blueberry and two common weed species that have different functional traits-sweet fern (Comptonia peregrina), a N2-fixing shrub, and poverty oat grass (Danthonia spicata), a perennial grass-in a commercial blueberry field in Québec, Canada. In 2015, 15N-labelled ammonium sulfate was applied at a rate of 45 kg ha-1 to 1 m2 field plots containing lowbush blueberry and one of the two weeds present at several different density levels (0 to 25 plants m-2). In 2016, each plot was harvested to determine vegetative biomass and the percentage of fertilizer-derived N recovered (PFNR) in each species. The PFNR was higher in blueberry (24.4 ± 9.3%) than in sweet fern (13.4 ± 2.6%) and poverty oat grass (3.3 ± 2.9%). However, lowbush blueberry required about four times more root biomass than sweet fern and poverty oat grass to uptake an equivalent amount of N from ammonium sulfate. The PFNR in poverty oat grass increased with plant density (from 0.8% to 6.4% at 2-3 and >6 plants m-2, respectively), which resulted in a decrease in blueberry's PFNR (from 26.0 ± 1.4% to 8.6 ± 1.8%) and aboveground vegetative biomass production (from 152 ± 58 to 80 ± 28 g m-2). The increase in biomass production and N content in sweet fern with increasing plant density was not accompanied by an increase in PFNR (29.7 ± 8.4%), suggesting an increasing contribution of atmospherically-derived N. This mechanism (i.e., N sparing) likely explained blueberry's higher biomass production and N concentration in association with sweet fern than with poverty oat grass. Overall, our study confirms lowbush blueberry low efficiency (on a mass basis) at taking up N derived from the fertilizer as compared to weeds and reveals contrasted and complex interactions between blueberry and both weed species. Our results also suggest that the use of herbicides may not be necessary when poverty oat grass is present at a low density (<15 plants of poverty oat grass m-2) and that adding inorganic N fertilizer is counterproductive when this species is present at a high density as it takes up as much fertilizer as lowbush blueberry.

Project description:The main objective of this study was to determine growth, yield and fruit quality of grapevines under organic and biodynamic management in relation to integrated viticultural practices. Furthermore, the mechanisms for the observed changes in growth, yield and fruit quality were investigated by determining nutrient status, physiological performance of the plants and disease incidence on bunches in three consecutive growing seasons. A field trial (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Riesling) was set up at Hochschule Geisenheim University, Germany. The integrated treatment was managed according to the code of good practice. Organic and biodynamic plots were managed according to Regulation (EC) No 834/2007 and Regulation (EC) No 889/2008 and according to ECOVIN- and Demeter-Standards, respectively. The growth and yield of the grapevines differed strongly among the different management systems, whereas fruit quality was not affected by the management system. The organic and the biodynamic treatments showed significantly lower growth and yield in comparison to the integrated treatment. The physiological performance was significantly lower in the organic and the biodynamic systems, which may account for differences in growth and cluster weight and might therefore induce lower yields of the respective treatments. Soil management and fertilization strategy could be responsible factors for these changes. Yields of the organic and the biodynamic treatments partially decreased due to higher disease incidence of downy mildew. The organic and the biodynamic plant protection strategies that exclude the use of synthetic fungicides are likely to induce higher disease incidence and might partially account for differences in the nutrient status of vines under organic and biodynamic management. Use of the biodynamic preparations had little influence on vine growth and yield. Due to the investigation of important parameters that induce changes especially in growth and yield of grapevines under organic and biodynamic management the study can potentially provide guidance for defining more effective farming systems.

Dataset Information

Lowbush blueberry fruit yield and growth response to inorganic and organic N-fertilization when competing with two common weed species.

Publications

Lowbush blueberry fruit yield and growth response to inorganic and organic N-fertilization when competing with two common weed species.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets