Skip to main content
ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #219104
Title: They Raise Them Differently Up North - Different Production Practices in Australian Growing Areas May Affect Mycorrhizae

Author
item WATERS, EDWARDS - UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
item MCLEAN, CASANDRA - UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE
item Scagel, Carolyn

Submitted to: Australian Blueberry Grower
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/15/2008
Publication Date: 3/3/2008
Citation: Waters, E., Mclean, C., Scagel, C.F. 2008. They raise them differently up north - different production practices in Australian growing areas may affect mycorrhizae. Australian Blueberry Grower. 20:19-21.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: This report briefly summarizes the results from a survey to determine cultural blueberry practices and production differences used in New South Wales (NSW), Victoria, Tasmania, and Queensland. The purpose of the survey was to collect information on a number of production practices that had been shown in the past to affect mycorrhizal infection in the United States and might have similar effects in Australian blueberry farms. Whilst general surveys of practices employed in the Australian blueberry industry have been conducted, they have not been focused on gathering specific information that has direct implications for mycorrhizal activity.General information including soil type and growers’ perspectives on relevant aspects of production were also collected to assist in interpreting responses. The survey found that there were highly significant relationships between a number of cultural practices and the geographic location of survey respondents. Differences in pre-plant soil amendment between geographic regions and the duration of the productive life of plantings in the northern Australian blueberry industry were not identified in previous qualitative studies. Results in these areas have implications for the distribution and intensity of mycorrhizal infection in commercial blueberry fields in NSW and Queensland. The survey results will help focus research on specific areas where the effect of cultural practices on mycorrhizae in Australian blueberry growing regions may be significant.