BDN cites UMaine Extension information, interviews Calderwood, Zhang in story about wild blueberry irrigation
In an article about the costs the wild blueberry producers will have to incur for irrigation in light of hotter and drier summers, the Bangor Daily News cited information from University of Maine Cooperative Extension showing that long-term weather trends suggest that blueberry fields will get sufficient water in August in only one year out of five. The BDN also interviewed Lily Calderwood, UMaine Extension wild blueberry specialist and School of Food and Agriculture professor, and Yongjiang Zhang, assistant professor of applied plant physiology, about research the university is conducting into how wild blueberry crops respond to climate change. Zhang’s team has observed how climate change impacts wild blueberry fields differently depending on location. They also study the effectiveness of biochar, a charcoal-like material made from burning organic material from agricultural and forestry wastes, in mitigating drought effects; it has been found to be more effective than regular mulching for wild blueberry crops.