Sustainable fertilizer strategies for vaccinium corymbosum x V. angustifolium under abandoned peatland conditions

Abstract

Revegetating abandoned peatlands plays an important role in reducing the CO2 footprint. One possibility for carbon reduction is cultivating blueberries as calcifuge plants in acidic peat soil. The aim of the experiment was to find out the effect of different fertilizers on half-highbush blueberry cultivar ‘Northblue’ growth and biochemical parameters in peatland conditions. The experiment was carried out in 2011-2015 with four organic and one mineral fertilizer, where three were composted chicken manure- and one maltose-based organic fertilizer. The soil of the experimental area belongs to the soil subgroup Fibri-Dystric Histosol with the peat layer 1.0-1.5 m deep. Organic fertilizer 4-1-2, which contained seaweed but had low phosphorus and potassium content, resulted in high yields in 2011 and 2013, with similar vegetative growth and comparable biochemical parameters as mineral fertilizer 6-14-23. The principal component analysis showed that the experimental year was more important in determining fruit parameters than the fertilizer type. However, our results indicated that the organic fertilizers are alternatives to mineral fertilizer for organic production.