EVALUATING COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGIES FOR WEED MANAGEMENT IN BLUEBERRY: SATURATED STEAM AND ROTARY BRUSH

• Sponsoring Institution: Agricultural Research Service/USDA
• Project Status: ACTIVE
• Funding Source: USDA CONTRACT
• Reporting Frequency: Annual
• Accession No.: 0435461
• Project Start Date: Sep 1, 2018
• Project End Date: Oct 31, 2021
• Program Code: [(N/A)]- (N/A)

Recipient Organization
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
CORVALLIS,OR 97331

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
(N/A)

Animal Health Component

75%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

25%

Applied

75%

Developmental

0%

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
102	1129	1010	100%

Knowledge Area
102 - Soil, Plant, Water, Nutrient Relationships;

Subject Of Investigation
1129 - Berries and cane fruits, general/other;

Field Of Science
1010 - Nutrition and metabolism;

Keywords

weed

blueberry

organic

steam

rotary

Goals / Objectives
1. Evaluate saturated steam and rotary brush weed control performance in organic blueberry as compared to organic herbicides and record operational cost of each management option. 2. Examine the efficacy and crop safety of saturated steam as a selective tool to manage weeds growing at the base of blueberry plants.

Project Methods
Efficacy of weed control using steam and a rotary brush will be evaluated in two field experiments conducted in commercial organic blueberry fields in Oregonâ¿¿s Willamette Valley. These plantings incorporate synthetic mulches (weed-mat) and are representative of industry practices. The performance of these two weed management approaches will be compared to organic herbicides. We will also evaluate the sequential application of saturated steam or rotary brush followed by organic herbicides. The experimental design will be a randomized block design with four replicates.