Organic Lowbush Blueberry Research and Extension in Maine

A six-year organic systems research project was conducted in Maine from 2004 to 2009. The project had several components: (1) a large replicated interdisciplinary multifactor (fertility, weed, insect, and pathogen) experiment over three cropping cycles (6 years), (2) single disciplinary experiments designed to develop organic management tools for pest management, (3) an economic analysis of current organic production, (4) a survey of organic growers for the purpose of deriving a descriptive profile and the development of grower case studies, and (5) organic Extension workshops and field meetings and production of an organic wild blueberry grower's guide. This article highlights some of the outcomes of this project including: ecological interactions among pests and fertility, novel management tactics, niche-market diversity, and economic viability.