Progress 09/15/03 to 09/14/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The results have been disseminated by annual summer field day extension meetings with organic lowbush blueberry growers from Maine and Canada. In 2005 we had 22 growers attend our meeting, in 2006 we had 37 growers attend the meeting, in 2007 we had 29 growers attend the meeting, and in 2008 we had 48 growers attend the meeting. We also published three extension bulletins on pest management and economic aspects of transitioning from conventional to organic lowbush blueberry production. PARTICIPANTS: Participants were: Drs. Eric Sidemann and Russel Libby of the Maine Organic Growers and Farmers Association. Dr. Kathy Murray of the Maine Department of Agriculture. Many organic growers, but several key growers are: Deborah Aldridge Peter Aldridge Basil Staples Charlie Hitchings TARGET AUDIENCES: The target audience for our project were growers of lowbush blueberry that were in the process of transitioning to organic production or were thinking about transitioning to organic production in the near future. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: There were no major changes in our approach to our research or outreach. However, we are attempting to keep the research plots under production so that we can assess the ecological changes in transitioning to organic production over a longer time horizon. The original grant was to assess transition under a two crop cycle duration or four years. We are currently planning to collect data on the sixth year and are attempting to secure funding for several additional years.
Impacts
The outcome of this funded project has been very positive. First it fostered a working relationship with growers that enabled us to conduct on-farm research that led to registration of IPM materials approved for organic use such as the blueberry maggot insecticide GF-120, Naturalyte and Entrust, the organic formulation of spinosyn. Second, a very important outcome that this project most likely contributed in part was that organic lowbush blueberry acreage in Maine increased from just over 400 acres at the start of the project to 750 acres at present.
Publications
- Drummond, F, J. Smagula, S. Annis and D. Yarborough. 2008a. Organic Wild Blueberry Production. Wild Blueberry Fact Sheet No. 304, University of Maine, Orono. 30 pgs. and as MAFES Bulletin in press.
- Files, A., D. Yarborough and F. Drummond. 2008a. Economic Analysis of Organic Pest Management Strategies for Lowbush Blueberries Using Enterprise Budgeting, University of Maine, Orono. 14 pgs. and as MAFES Bulletin in press. http://www.wildblueberries.maine.edu/PDF/Management/EconomicAnalysisO rganicPestManagmment.pdf
- Files, A., D. Yarborough and F. Drummond. 2008b. Growers Survey of Organic Pest Management Practices for Wild Blueberries in Maine with Case Studies, University of Maine, Orono. 32 pgs. and as MAFES Bulletin in press. http://www.wildblueberries.maine.edu/PDF/Management/OrganicGrowerSurv eyCaseStudies.pdf
- Smagula, J. 2008. Gypsum enhances nutrient uptake of lowbush blueberry. HortScience. 43:1114.
- Smagula, J., Yarborough, D, Drummond, F. and Annis, S. 2008b. Organic Production of Wild Blueberries II. Fertility and Weed Management. Acta Horticulturae. in press
- Yarborough, D. 2008. Best Management Practices for Wild Blueberry Production in Maine, Wild Blueberry Fact Sheet No. 251, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469 2 pgs. http://www.wildblueberries.maine.edu/PDF/Management/251.pdf
- Yarborough, D., J.M. Smagula, F.A. Drummond, and S. Annis. 2008b. Organic Production of Wild Blueberries III. Fruit Quality. Acta Horticulturae. In press.
- Yarborough, D. and F. Drummond. 2008. Insect control guide for wild blueberries. Wild Blueberry Fact Sheet No. 209, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469 2 pgs. http://wildblueberries.maine.edu/factsheets/Insects/209.html
- Drummond. F., S. Annis, J. M. Smagula and D.E. Yarborough. 2008b. Organic Production of Wild Blueberries. I. Insects and Disease. Acta Horticulturae. In press.
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Progress 10/01/06 to 09/30/07
Outputs
OUTPUTS: This four year study is a multidisciplinary approach to researching pest management for organic production of lowbush blueberry. Research effort in insect, disease, and weed pest management and soil fertility were combined to assess production management tactics on pest incidence and yield. The research outputs for this research project in 2007 were derived from two different types of studies. The first study was a long-term large scale cropping systems research project that was designed to assess the effects of pruning (burning vs. mowing), soil pH management (sulfur vs no sulfur amendment), and fertilization (three rates). A second set of experiments were more focused designed to assess specific management options for insect, disease, and weed pests under an organic production cycle. An extension output involved the writing of a management bulletin for organic growers of lowbush blueberry. In addition, a survey of organic blueberry growers was conducted to assess the
economics of organic production. Three case studies were included in this economic analysis.
PARTICIPANTS: Ms. Beth Choate, graduate assistant - training in biological control. Mr. Daniel Bell, graduate student - training in pollination. Ms. Kathlene Frost - graduate student - training in plant pathology. Dr. John Smagula - soil fertility expert - coPI on project. Dr. David Yarborough - weed management and extension specialist - coPI on project. Dr. Seanna Annis - plant pathologist expert- coPI on project. Mr. Andrew Files - economist - consultant on project Dr. Aram Calhoun - cooperator on large scale cropping systems experiment - leased the land for project. Mr. Charlie Hitching - blueberry grower consultant. Mr. Eric Sidemann - Research/Extension specialist for Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association. Dr. Kathy Murray - consultant - Maine State Department of Agriculture
TARGET AUDIENCES: There are 35 - 40 organic lowbush blueberry growers in the state of Maine. In general they are part-time growers and manage less than 5 acres. Most of the growers are in the eastern part of the state. However, there are more than 600 traditional lowbush blueberry growers some of whom are interested in transitioning to organic production.
PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: none
Impacts
The best way to transition to organic production of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.), was studied by comparing mowing and burning pruning methods, the use of sulfur to lower soil pH, and two organic fertilizer rates. A split, split block randomized complete block design was used with 8 blocks. Within each of the splits of pruning and sulfur (1120 kg/ha), an organic fertilizer (Pro-Holly, (4-6-4) was applied at 0, 22.4, or 44.8 kg N/ha to 1.8 m x 15 m treatment plots. Sulfur was applied preemergent in 2004 and fertilizer in 2004 and 2006. Weeds were controlled in all treatment plots by pruning with a weed whacker on 21 June, 26 July and 27 August 2004. Treatment effects were evaluated over two prune/crop cycles. Weeds, insects and disease pests were monitored to determine the effect of the main treatments and their interactions on their populations. The effects of treatments on soil and leaf nutrient concentrations and growth and yield were determined.
Sulfur, lowered the soil pH each subsequent year resulting in a pH differential of 0.7 units by July 2007. Sulfur increased yield in 2007. Burning affected weed populations and burned plots had higher yields in 2005 and 2007, compared to mowed plots. Leaf N and P concentrations were not affected by sulfur or prune method, but were increased by the higher rate of fertilizer after the second prune-year application, compared to control plots. In both 2005 and 2007 treatment plots that were pruned by burning had a greater number of insect pests than in the mowed plot, possibly due to the significantly greater abundance of the natural enemies (ants and spiders) of these pests that were found in mowed plots. There was no significant difference in the incidence of Monilinia blight disease between mowing and burning methods of pruning. There was more Monilinia blight in the highest fertilizer treatment (40 lb N/acre) than the control (0 lb N/acre) or low fertilizer treatment (20lb N/acre),
but this did not affect yield in 2005. There were no treatment effects on disease revealed at harvest in 2007.
Publications
- Karem, J., S.A. Woods, F.A. Drummond, and C. Stubbs. 2006. Sampling Native Wasps Along Both Vertical and Horizontal Gradients in the Maine Lowbush Blueberry Landscape. Environ. Entomol. 35(4): 1083-1093.
- Booth, S.R., F.A. Drummond, and E. Groden. 2008. Small Fruits. Pp. 597-616. In: Field Manual of Techniques in Invertebrate Pathology, 2nd ed. (L. A. Lacey and H.K. Kaya, eds.). Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, U.S. 911 pp.
- Yarborough, D.E. 2007. Cultural management for weeds in wild blueberries. Fact sheet no. 252. Univ. Maine Coop. Extension Publ.
- Yarborough, D.E. 2007. Cultural Management for Insects and Diseases in Wild Blueberries. Fact sheet no. 253. Univ. Maine Coop. Extension Publ.
- Yarborough, D.E. 2007. Cultural Management pH. Fact sheet no. 254. Univ. Maine Coop. Extension Publ.
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Progress 10/01/05 to 09/30/06
Outputs
A large-scale organic experiment was continued in 2006. It was initially laid out in 2004 as a split-split plot design, included pruning (mowing vs burning) as the main plot, pH (sulfur vs no-sulfur) as split plots and three levels of fertility as split-split plots. The mowed treatments had significantly higher grass and broadleaf weed cover than burned treatments for all three evaluations. In June those stems cut two or three times had significantly less recovery than those uncut or cut once. Stems cut once also had significantly less recovery than the untreated control. Soil analysis indicated that pH was lowered by sulfur treatment from 5.0 to 4.2. Soil sulfur, phosphorus, aluminum, copper, iron and manganese concentration was significantly higher in the sulfur-treated plots but calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc concentration was significantly lower. Burned plots had a significantly higher soil sulfur concentration than mowed plots. Fertilizer treatments did
not affect soil pH but soil potassium concentrations were raised by each increment of fertilizer application. Soil phosphorus was also increased by fertilizer application. Leaf magnesium was slightly lower in sulfur-treated plots. Burned plots had higher concentrations of iron and zinc. The highest rate of fertilizer application, 40 lbs N/acre from Pro-Holly (4-6-4), raised leaf nitrogen concentrations from border line deficiency levels in the controls (1.58%) to a sufficiency level of 1.61%. The leaf nitrogen standard is 1.6%. Leaf phosphorus concentrations were also raised by the higher rate of fertilizer application to 0.108%; however, this was considerably below the standard concentration (.125%). For insect pests, there was no significant difference in the number of stems infested by red-striped fireworm (RSFW) due to burning method or sulfur application. There were significantly more RSFW in plots that were treated with no fertilizer verses those that were treated with 20 lbs of
fertilizer. There was no significant difference between 20 and 40 lbs plots. In general, RSFW damage was low, with less than 1 damaged stem/sq ft. There were significantly more patches of thrips curls in plots that were burned than plots that were mowed. There were significantly more grasshoppers in burned verses mowed plots. There was no significant difference in grasshopper abundance due to sulfur or fertilizer treatment. There was no significant difference in lepidopteran larval abundance, thrips abundance, or grasshopper abundance due to pruning method, sulfur or fertilizer treatment. Organic fungicides did not consistently produce significant decreases in mummy berry disease but some treatments, particularly Bacillus subtilis, have potential and should be re-examined. Mulching significantly decreased mummy berry disease in one field and produce plants that looked greener and had more leaves late in the season in the other field. Mulching may be useful as a treatment to control
mummy berry in small areas, but is prohibiitvely expensive for large fields.
Impacts
The impact of this study should directly assist growers that wish to transition to oragnic lowbush blueberry production. Since the inception of this study we have developed organic pest management options for all of the insect pests of lowbush blueberry in Maine. In addition, we have a very effective soil ph management program that reduces the abundance of grass weeds. Our objective for the remaining year of the study is to make inroads on organic tactics for mummyberry disease management. In addition we are currently, conducting an analysis of the economics of transitioning to organic production. These accomplishments should reduce the risk for growers considering such a transition.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
In a large-scale experiment on an organic farm we found that an application of 20 or 30 lbs N/ acre from a Pro Holly (4-6-4) organic fertilizer treatment had no effect on leaf N concentrations, which were not deficient, nor on leaf P concentrations, which were deficient, compared to the controls. Blueberry Yield was not affected by fertilizer treatment or sulfur application but was larger in burned plots, compared to pruned plots. Pro Holly (4-6-4), at 60 lbs N/acre, was found to be comparable to diammonium phosphate (DAP) in raising leaf N and P concentrations, improving growth, and raising blueberry yield three fold at a site deficient in N and P. Some of the increased yield in burned plots was attributed to the better control of red-striped fireworm than was achieved in mowed plots. Grass and broadleaf weed cover was evaluated at the large scale experiment in August. Mowed sites had significantly more grass and broadleaf cover than burned plots. Plots fertilized
with 40 lbs of fertilizer had significantly higher grass cover than those not fertilized. An auxiliary study to observe the effectiveness of cutting trees 0, 1, 2, or 3 times during a season indicates that those cut 3 times significantly reduced individual trees more than 0 or 1 cuts. Additional experiments were carried out on three other organic farms in Maine. The organic fields in this project were in their crop-bearing year so they were monitored throughout the season for insect pests and natural enemies. There were no pest outbreaks in any organic field that we monitored in 2005. When sampling both organic and conventionally managed fields (fields sprayed with various pesticides throughout the season) for natural enemies, there were more ants found in organic fields and more phalangids in conventionally managed fields. Other common natural enemies like spiders and ground beetles were present in similar numbers in organic and conventional fields. There were greater than twice as
many native bees found in organic fields than conventional fields. Housefly pupae were deployed in both organic and conventional fields to measure degree of predation of pupae in a field setting. More pupae were missing from organic fields than conventionally managed fields, but the difference was not statistically significant. Housefly pupae deployed near large ant nests in one organic field were taken at a moderate rate, within 24 hours an average of 3-4 pupae were missing from all treatments.
Impacts
This proposal will focus on the development of organic pest management tactics for lowbush blueberry in Maine. We are studying weed pests, insect pests, and plant disease biology and management and how these processes relate to soil fertility and fertilization. In addition, economic analysis of the transition to organic production is an objective.
Publications
- Collins, J. A. and F. A. Drummond. 2005. Blueberry flea beetle control, 2004A. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). C5.
- Collins, J. A. and F. A. Drummond. 2005. Blueberry flea beetle control, 2004B. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). C6.
- Collins, J. A. and F. A. Drummond. 2005. Blueberry maggot control, 2004. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). C7.
- Collins, J. A. and F. A. Drummond. 2005. Blueberry maggot control with GF-120 NF fruit fly bait, 2004. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). C8.
- Collins, J. A. and F. A. Drummond. 2005. Red-striped fireworm control, 2004. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). C11.
- Collins, J. A. and F. A. Drummond. 2005. Blueberry flea beetle control in the laboratory, 2004. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). L1.
- Collins, J. A. and F. A. Drummond. 2005. Red-striped fireworm control in the laboratory, 2004. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). L2.
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Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04
Outputs
Several organic fertilizers were compared on a small organic blueberry farm. The effectiveness of four organic fertilizers in raising leaf nutrient concentrations were compared to diammonium phosphate, the standard chemical fertilizer used in lowbush blueberry culture. Differences were found in uptake of N,P, and K among the fertilizers. ProHolly was the most effective organic fertilizer, comparable to DAP for getting N into the leaves. The controls averaged 1.51% N and the ProHolly and DAP were 1.68% N and 1.72% N,respectively. The next best organic fertilizer was NutriWave at 1.55%N. Leaf Phosphorus concentrations were raised by ProHolly (.126 P), compared to the control (.122% P); however, the level was not as high as in plots receiving DAP (.144% P). Weed cover was rated and weeds were cut above the height of the blueberry at the end of June, July and August. The effect of the reduction in weed cover on blueberry yield and the cost of treatments will be determined
next year. Three groups of pest insect and disease studies were conducted. The first was based upon the large multifactor long-term experiment that was set up in the spring of 2004. This experiment, laid out as a split-split plot design, included pruning (mowing vs burning) as the main plot, pH (sulfur vs no-sulfur) as split plots and three levels of fertility as split-split plots. There were no significant differences in the number of red-striped fireworm tied leaves or thrips-damaged patches due to any of the treatment combinations. Overall, there were significantly more ants and spiders in plots that were mowed vs. burned. Plots were surveyed for stem and leaf diseases in June and August. Red leaf disease was found scattered throughout the blocks with no significant difference between treatments. There were more dead stems in June than in August. The killing of stems in June may be from Godronia canker which is known to infect during prune year. Leaf spot rank and the percentage of
stems with leaf spot was significantly higher in mowed treatments compared to burned treatments but fertilizer and sulfur treatment had no significant effect. Another set of insect studies involved sampling four organic blueberry fields and five conventional blueberry fields (all in the prune stage) to determine if insect pest densities or natural enemies differed due to management. There were significantly more Lepidopteran larvae, carabid predators, and phalangids in conventional fields than were in organic fields. Significantly more Orthoptera were found in organic fields than were found in conventional fields. There was no significant difference overall between ants found in organic verses conventional fields and there were significantly more spiders captured in pitfall traps in organic fields than were captured in conventionally sprayed fields. Insect control experiments showed promise for the use of the fungal pathogen, Beauveria bassiana, for control of the blueberry fleabeetle
and the red-striped fireworm. The spinosyn bait formulation GF-120 resulted in excellent control of the blueberry fly.
Impacts
This proposal will focus on the development of organic pest management tactics for lowbush blueberry in Maine. We are studying weed pests, insect pests, and plant disease biology and management and how these processes relate to soil fertility and fertilization. In addition, economic analysis of the transition to organic production is an objective.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/02 to 09/30/03
Outputs
We have only just received this grant. So far the principal investigators have met to discuss the first field season in the spring of 2004 and we have scheduled a meeting for January 2004 to meet with growers and other stakeholders to acquire advice on specific objectives.
Impacts
This proposal will focus on the development of organic pest management tactics for lowbush blueberry in Maine. We are studying weed pests, insect pests, and plant disease biology and management and how these processes relate to soil fertility and fertilization. In addition, economic analysis of the transition to organic production is an objective.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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