Blueberry Species and Cultivar Response to Soil Types

Eight soil type and 4 blueberry cultivars were used in an outdoor pot study on the adaptability of blueberries to atypical soils. Two highbush (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) 'Spartan' and 'Collins' and 2 rabbiteye (V. ashei Reade), 'Woodard' and 'Bluegem,' cultivars were grown for two seasons under trickle irrigation but without organic amendments. Dry matter partitioning of the plants at the end of the experiment indicated greater root mass production by either highbush cultivar compared to either rabbiteye with no consistent differences on top dry matter production. This resulted in significantly lower shoot to root ratios for highbush blueberries. The absence of a significant soil type by cultivar interaction on shoot to root ratio indicates that highbush blueberries may be less efficient in nutrient acquisition than rabbiteye. Foliar elemental analysis showed significantly greater nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium in highbush versus rabbiteye while potassium and magnesium were variable among cultivars. Foli...