Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
200 D.W. BROOKS DR
ATHENS,GA 30602-5016
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Our project will examine the effectiveness of horticultural recovery practicesand the application of humic substances to enhance the root growth of blueberry plants following hurricane damage. We will employ rigorous plant physiological measurements and advanced digital agriculture tools to evaluate the recovery of plants impacted by Hurricane Helene. By studying humic acid substances and using advanced technologies, our project aims to accelerate the recovery process, improve soil conditions, optimize blueberry yields, and offer a model for resilient agricultural practices in hurricane-affected areas.The outcomes of the project will inform blueberry growers of the damage that strong gusts can cause to blueberry plants, particularly the root systems. Furthermore, it will educate growers on management practices that can accelerate plant recovery. The management practices proposed in this project can be rapidly adopted by the industry because growers are familiar with the use of humic acid in blueberry production.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
This research project will study horticultural recovery practices in blueberry fields after Hurricane Helene. The goal of our project is to develop evidence-based strategies to help blueberry growers mitigate hurricane damage. Ourapplied research and extension project has the following objectives:1. Assess the effects of staking leaning plants and applying humic acid to blueberry plants to recover from damage by Hurricane Helene. 2. Utilize digital agriculture technologies to monitor plant health and root growth to validate recovery interventions. 3. Develop best practices and recommendations for blueberry farmers in hurricane-prone regions to enhance resilience and facilitate faster recovery. .
Project Methods
Objective 1: To assess the effects of staking leaning plants and applying humic acid to blueberry plants to recover from damage by Hurricane Helene. To determine the efficacy of these practices, three field experiments on commercial blueberry farms were established. We conducted physiological measurements: SPAD, leaf area index, and chlorophyll fluorescence before the application of humic acids. The leaf area index and light interception were measured using a portable Ceptometer (Accupar LP-80, Meter Group, Inc., Pullman, WA) (Fig. 5). Fluorescence was measured using a handheld Porometer/Fluorometer (LI-600, LICOR, Lincoln, NE). Objective 2:Utilize digital agriculture technologies to monitor plant health and root growth to validate recovery interventions.Plant recovery will be assessed using a Mavic 3M (RGB, NIR, and Red Edge) drone. The spectral bands will be used to calculate vegetation indices. The drone will be deployed 150 ft above the ground with a pixel size of approximately 1cm/pixel. High-resolution drone images will be processed using Agisoft Metashape software. Root growth and damage will also be measured using a root scanner and software (LA2400 and WinRhizo Regular, Regent Instruments, Quebec, Canada).Objective 3: Develop best practices and recommendations for blueberry farmers in hurricane-prone regions to enhance resilience and facilitate faster recovery.Extension publications will be developed from the project. The topics of the extension publications will be based on horticultural practices to recover plants from hurricane damage, the effects of humic acid on root growth, and the use of digital agricultural technology to assess plant recovery.