Progress 05/15/05 to 05/14/08
Outputs
OUTPUTS: The mummy berry (Monilinia) forecasting method and Botrytis blossom blight forecasting method developed in Canada were used to assess the risk of infection in Maine's blueberry fields. Forecasts were available on the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Wild Blueberry hotline and website. The mummy berry blight forecasting system provides information to growers for the most effective application timing of fungicides for controlling Monilinia infection. More grower cooperators are being sought so more locations can be monitored for weather conditions and the development of mummy berry cups. In addition, revisions to the Compendium of blueberry diseases are in progress and the estimated publishing date by the American Phytopathological Society Press is 2009. The label for Callisto use for weed suppression in wild blueberries in Maine is expected in 2008. This information will be presented to wild blueberry growers to give them the information they need to make the best use of this herbicide. The University of Maine will continue to work with DuPont and request that they develop a 24C label request for Express for bunchberry control in wild blueberries in Maine. This year the Blueberry Integrated Crop Management program consisted of a presentation at the Agricultural Trade Show, Spring Grower meetings at three locations, and field demonstration sessions conducted three times in three counties. Program requirements have been better defined over the past years as new fact sheets are developed and better examples provided, such as weed mapping, explanation of decision making for blight control, recognizing Botrytis blight and perimeter spraying of insecticides for blueberry maggot fly control. Researchers present results at professional meetings, grower meetings, Cooperative Extension meetings, and also give Integrated Crop Management trainings and radio, TV and newspaper interviews. Reports on the wild blueberry crop are presented to the New England Agricultural Statistics Service (NAAS) on a weekly basis during the wild blueberry growing season. NAAS uses the information to provide wild blueberry crop updates on the web. One new Wild Blueberry Fact Sheet, #212 (UMCE #2027) 2007 Botrytis Blight Control for Wild Blueberries, has been created in 2007, while Fact Sheet #209 (UMCE #2001) 2007 Insect Control Guide for Wild Blueberries, Fact Sheet #239 (UMCE #2025) 2007 Weed Control Guide for Wild Blueberries, and Fact Sheet #219 (UMCE #2000) 2007 Disease Control Guide for Wild Blueberries have been revised. Blueberry growers will have access to the information they need to make the best choices for controlling weeds, insects and disease in their fields. The Wild Blueberry website found at http://www.wildblueberries.maine.edu/ has an added flash presentation of the wild blueberry production cycle, a search form page and has been completely redesigned to improve the look and ease of navigation. Finally, results of ongoing wild blueberry research are presented yearly to growers in the U.S. and Canada at the annual Farm Day at Blueberry Hill Farm in Jonesboro, ME. PARTICIPANTS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. TARGET AUDIENCES: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.
Impacts
Gaseous ozone treatment at 1.4 ppm was not sufficient to cause a significant reduction in the microbial load on wild blueberries destined for the fresh market. Wild blueberries act on the COX pathway in spontaneously hypertensive rats either by increasing the concentration of a vasodilator or decreasing the concentration of a vasoconstrictor, while in the normotensive rats wild blueberries primarily act on the NO pathway by preserving NO bioavailability. Aqueous chlorine dioxide at a relatively low concentration, as an alternative compared to chlorine, shows promise as a sanitizer for reducing yeasts and molds on blueberries. Aqueous chlorine dioxide may be used as an alternative to the chlorine spray. A DNA piezoelectric biosensing method for real-time detection of E. coli O157:H7 in a circulating flow system was developed. The insecticides Assail, Avaunt, and SpinTor provided excellent control of leaf beetle adults and reduced seasonal density of strawberry rootworm adults. Assail was also effective against thrips. Low levels of blueberry maggot fly adult infestation in 2007 precluded analysis of the effectiveness of applying GF-120 NF Fruit Fly Bait. Neonicotinoid insecticides are promising replacements for older organophosphate insecticides such as phosmet, but if they have detrimental effects on honey bee foraging and/or colony growth they will be too dangerous to use for insect pest management. Yellow sticky cards are an effective early warning monitoring technique for blueberry thrips. Blueberry tip midge might be an expanding pest problem, and areas with possible infestations have been marked in order to visit them early in 2008 for further investigation. All blueberry insect pests are potential prey for the Allegheny mound ant and insecticides impact the prevalence of ant colonies, with organic fields having significantly more mounds than sprayed fields. Parasites oscillate and reach peak incidence about every 4-5 years, but they fall to very low parasitism rates in 2-3 years after the peak. The mummy berry blight forecasting system provides information for the most effective timing of application of fungicides for controlling Monilinia infection, as it is dependent upon local soil and weather conditions. Indar performed as well or better than the standard Orbit treatment to prevent Monilinia infection and produced the highest yield. The organic fungicide, Serenade Max, produced the least suppression of disease. Gypsum increased availability of N, P, and K to blueberry plants and reduced the need for higher levels of DAP fertilizer. Mesotrione may be used alone to suppress broadleaf weeds and grasses, or with hexazinone to increase weed suppression. Spot treatments of clopyralid have the potential to suppress burnweed without injury to blueberries. Integrated pest management programs through the Extension Service have resulted in growers learning new skills and changing calibration practices, reducing the rate of hexazinone used, being able to control blight, identifying and controlling weeds, being able to detect and control insects and the blueberry maggot fly and using soil and leaf samples to determine fertilizer rates.
Publications
- Bushway A., K. Buzzard, M.E. Camire, and R. Bushway. 2007. Lowbush blueberry purees control lipid oxidation in precooked refrigerated ground turkey patties. Intl. J. Food Sci. Tech. Nutr. 1:39-47.
- Crowe. K.M., A.A. Bushway, R.J. Bushway, and K. Davis-Dentici. 2007. Microbial degradation of Phosmet on blueberry fruit and in aqueous systems by indigenous bacterial flora on lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium). J. Food Sci. 72: M293-M299.
- Crowe. K.M., A.A. Bushway, R.J. Bushway, K. Davis-Dentici, and R.A. Hazen. 2007. A comparison of single oxidants versus advanced oxidation processes as chlorine-alternatives for wild blueberry processing (Vaccinium angustifolium). Int. J. Food Microbiol. 116:25-31.
- Norton, C., Kalea, A.Z., Harris, P.D. and Klimis-Zacas, D. 2005. Wild blueberry-rich diets affect the contractile machinery of the vascular smooth muscle in the Sprague-Dawley rat. Journal of Medicinal Food. 8:8-13.
- Kalea A.Z., Clark K., Schuschke D. A. and Klimis-Zacas, D. Whole wild blueberries affect endothelium-dependent vasodilation in Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (submitted to the Journal of Physiology, November 2007)
- Kalea A. Z., Clark K., Schuschke D. A Klimis-Zacas, D. Endothelium-mediated vasoreativity is affected by consumption of wild blueberries in the Sprague Dawley Rat, (submitted to the Journal of Nutrition, November, 2007)
- Yarborough, D. and Guiseppe, K. 2007. Assessment of the combined effects of mesotrione and hexazinone on weeds in Maine wild blueberries. Proceedings of the Northeastern Weed Science Society. 61:93-94.
- Fact Sheet #212 (UMCE #2027) 2007 Botrytis Blight Control for Wild Blueberries
- Fact Sheet #209 (UMCE #2001) 2007 Insect Control Guide for Wild Blueberries
- Fact Sheet #239 (UMCE #2025) 2007 Weed Control Guide for Wild Blueberries
- Fact Sheet #219 (UMCE #2000) 2007 Disease Control Guide for Wild Blueberries
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Progress 05/15/06 to 05/15/07
Outputs
Ozone has been shown to reduce microbial load as well as pesticide levels on the fruit. Levels of 1 ppm ozone with a contact time of 60 sec were the optimum for reduce microbial load and pesticide residues. Future research should examine the use of gaseous ozone as a means of reducing total microbial load and pesticide residues on wild blueberries which will be marketed fresh. Aqueous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) can be used as a sanitizer for controlling foodborne pathogens as well as yeasts and molds on blueberries. We expect that brief treatment intervals and degradation of ClO2 over time and by organic materials (blueberries) provide advantages to food processors who seek to preserve the appearance of their product and reduce ClO2 residues while enhancing food safety with novel sanitization procedures. NIR combined with PLS method is a feasible technique for detection of fruit fly maggots in Maine wild blueberries. The validation and testing of the method showed that
83% of unknown samples can be predicted correctly. This ratio is similar to the ratio of defect detection by human operators at lighted pick-over tables in the blueberry packing plants. Wild blueberries seem to potentate greater vasorelaxation in the aortas of the animals that are under oxidative stress, the hypertensive animals, as compared to hypertensive animals fed normal diets. Yellow sticky cards are an effective early warning monitoring technique for blueberry thrips. If deployed early, sticky cards will give growers at least a one-week warning and provide time for the application of the first insecticide. Pherocon AM traps are indicators of BMF population density and damage potential, but are not useful as a control tool, even at trap intervals of one trap every 5 ft. The two years of data do not support the initial hypothesis that blueberry maggot flies colonizing fields from high in the tree canopy would tend to land beyond a 75-100 ft perimeter, insecticide-treated zone at
the edge of the field. Results from the irrigation study suggest that lateral redistribution through rhizomes do not improve the water distribution of the irrigation system. Mummy berry disease is a significant problem to the blueberry industry and evaluating new fungicides to control this disease must remain a priority. We have not been very successful in raising leaf Mn concentrations through foliar or soil applications of Mn, there are indications that clones with higher leaf Mn concentrations have the potential for higher yields. Fruit Mn concentrations vary among clones and there is a positive correlation between leaf and fruit Mn concentrations. The mesotrione applications at the higher rate preemergence or at the low rate per and post emergence gave equivalent control to the hexazinone application. When these applications were combined with hexazinone additional suppression of both grasses and broadleaf weeds was obtained. Sulfur applications reduce weed pressure and are a good
cultural management tool to suppress weeds. Fields need to be soil sampled periodically and the pH reduced with sulfur to suppress weeds
Impacts
Research will provide wild blueberry growers the information they need to improve the quality of wild blueberry processing and the development of reduced risk pesticides will improve crop safety and maintain groundwater quality. All projects will improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the wild blueberry industry to compete in national and international markets.
Publications
- Starr, G. C. and D. E. Yarborough. 2006. Influence of Vapor Deposition on Wild Blueberry Water Requirements in a Humid Coastal Climate. Acta Horticulturae 715:323-328, MAFES 2706.
- Smagula, J. M. 2006. Evaluation of the leaf Boron Standard for Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. Acta Horticulturae 715: 365-370.
- Smagula, J. M. 2006. Effects of raising leaf Cu concentration on growth and yield of lowbush blueberry. Proceedings of 10th North American Blueberry Research & Extension Workers Conference, Tifton, GA, June 4-8, 2006.
- Smagula, J.M. 2006. Tissue culture propagation In: N. F. Childers and P.M. Lyrene (ed.). Blueberries for growers, gardeners, promoters. Dr. Norman F. Childers Horticultural Publications, Gainesville, Florida. p. 55-58.
- Smagula, J.M. and D. Yarborough. 2006. The lowbush blueberry. In: N. F. Childers and P.M. Lyrene (ed.). Blueberries for growers, gardeners, promoters. Dr. Norman F. Childers Horticultural Publications, Gainesville, Florida. p. 177-181.
- Yarborough, D. 2006. Blueberry Pruning and Pollination in Blueberries For Growers, Gardeners, Promoters, N.F. Childers, and P.M. Lyrene Eds. Dr. Norman F. Childers Publications, Gainsville, FL pg. 75-83.
- Yarborough, D. E. 2006. Innovations in Weed Management in Wild Blueberry Fields in Maine. Acta Horticulturae 715:197-202, MAFES 2701.
- Kalea, A.Z. Lamari F., Theocharis A.D., Cordopatis P., Schuschke D. A., Karamanos N.K., Klimis-Zacas D. 2006. Wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) consumption affects the composition and structure of glycosaminoglycans in Sprague-Dawley rat aorta, Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry 17(2):109-116.
- Kalea A.Z., Lamari F.N., Theocharis A.D., Schuschke D.A., Karamanos N.K., Klimis-Zacas D.J. 2006. Heparan sulfate Glycosaminoglycan Composition and structure is affected by Dietary Manganese (Mn) in the Sprague-Dawley Rat Aorta Biometals, 19(5):535-46.
- Kalea A.Z., Schuschke D, Harris P.D. & Klimis-Zacas, D. 2006. Cyclo-oxygenase inhibition restores the attenuated vasodilation in manganese deficiency. Journal of Nutrition, 136(9):2302-2307.
- Lough-Guiseppe, K.F., F.A. Drummond, C. Stubbs, and S. Woods. 2006. The use of herbicides in managed forest ecosystems and their potential effects on non-target organisms with particular reference to ants as potential bioindicators. MAFES, Tech Bull. No. 192. 62 pp.
- Perkins, B. L., D. Yarborough, and K. Guthrie. 2006. Detection of Hexazinone in Maines Groundwater- A Nine Year Study. Acta Horticulturae 715:329-335, MAFES 2708.
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Progress 05/15/05 to 05/14/06
Outputs
Investigation of emerging disinfection technologies has shown that 1 ppm aqueous ozone was affective in reducing pesticide residues on wild lowbush blueberries. In inoculation studies, hydrogen peroxide and 1 ppm aqueous ozone resulted in a greater than 2-log reduction of Enterobacter agglommerans and Pseudomonas fluorescens following a 60 second contact time. Two formulations for a soy-wild blueberry burger were developed and their sensory and chemical characteristics are being investigated. Blueberry-enriched diets fed to hypertensive animals seem to potentiate greater vasorelaxation than the ones fed a control diet. Nitric oxide synthase inhibition resulted in greater vasorelaxation in animals fed the blueberry-enriched diets, while COX inhibition reduced vasodilation in the animals fed blueberry-enriched diets. Spring foliar application of 0.5 to 2 lbs Cu/acre raised leaf Cu concentrations but had no effect on growth or yield of lowbush blueberry. The controls had
an average leaf Cu concentration of 4 ppm rather than the proposed standard of 7 ppm. We conclude the Cu standard for Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. is too high. Results in 2004 indicate that the USDA-KSU spectrometer provides better results than the UMaine spectrometer due to longer wavelength range. Models on berry calyx and stem show similar classification results. Spectral subtraction show differences between infested and non-infested samples and define the region of interest; 1350-1700 nm. We discovered that synergistic effects of Maine wild blueberries and cranberries have not only heath benefits but significant antimicrobial effects to control foodborne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Staphylococcus aureus. Our new ClO2 method is a simple, cheap, and highly effective decontamination method to reduce food borne pathogens and will be used in further applications on the Maine wild blueberry. A five-year study on
immigration patterns of blueberry maggot flies was concluded. The highest densities of flies emerge from pruned fields. Emergence of blueberry maggot flies from fruit-bearing fields was very low. Flies emerge in vegetative fields and surrounding forest habitat and redistribute themselves to fruit-bearing fields. In a trial conducted in 2004 and 2005, blueberry spanworm densities of up to 100 larvae/4 ft2 did not reduce stem density or flower-bud number on a stem or plot basis. From these results we suggest that only if blueberry plants are severely stressed will a reduction in potential yield result due to high larval densities during the prune year. Tribenuron-methyl was effective for bunchberry, fern, vetch, and yellow loosestrife control. Cultural management using sulfur to lower pH continues to demonstrate a decrease in weed populations on treated plots. The efficacy of fungicide treatments and organic control methods for control of mummy berry blight were tested. Orbit and
Pristine had lower levels of mummy berry blight and in one field, Serenade had lower levels of blight than the control.
Impacts
Research will provide wild blueberry growers the information they need to improve the quality of wild blueberry processing and the development of reduced risk pesticides will improve crop safety and maintain groundwater quality. All projects will improve the efficiency and competitiveness of the wild blueberry industry to compete in national and international markets.
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. Blueberry spanworm control, 2004. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). C9.
- Collins, J. A. and F. A. Drummond. 2005. Blueberry thrips control, 2004. Arthropod Management Tests, 30 (Electronic Journal). C10.
- 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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