Weed and disease management strategies for Maine wild blueberries

Maine has 575 wild blueberry growers who produce an average of 80 million pounds per year. Maine produces 15 percent of the North American blueberry crop and 40 percent of the wild blueberry crop. Because weed and disease issues continue to evolve research is needed to develop the tools our wild blueberry growers need to provide good weed and disease control in order to maintain yields. Resistance to weeds and diseases will occur if pesticides with the same mode of action are used over time, so there is a need to develop alternatives and use patterns and to be integrated with cultural management to prevent this from happening. Recent research has provided cultural management tools and new organic and reduced risk pesticides, but the best use patterns need to be determined and new materials evaluated as weeds and diseases evolve under the selection pressure of existing management. Successful adoption of these practices will insure that wild blueberry growers in Maine can produce a crop efficiently and remain competitive in the world marketplace in future years.

Investigators: Yarborough, D. E.; Annis, S.
Unit: School of Food and Agriculture

Termination date: 30-Sep-17