A survey of vaccinium cultural practices in australia emphasizing implications for mycorrhizal infection

Abstract

A survey was conducted of 171 blueberry growers in four Australian states to collect detailed information on cultural practices that have been shown to effect the infection of commercial plantings with ericoid mycorrhizal fungi. Explanatory factors including climatic and edaphic variables and growers' attitudes to blueberry production and marketing were also collected and assessed to interpret survey responses. The survey found that there were highly significant relationships between a number of cultural practices and the geographic location of growers. Differences between northern and southern growing regions in crop scheduling and pre-plant soil amendment were especially significant. Crop scheduling in northern Australia has implications for the distribution of mycorrhizae in northern Australian blueberry plantings. © 2008 by The Haworth Press. All rights reserved.