ISHS Acta Horticulturae 446: VI International Symposium on Vaccinium Culture
ECONOMIC THRESHOLDS FOR WEEDS IN WILD BLUEBERRY FIELDS |
| Authors: | David E. Yarborough, M. C. Marra |
| Keywords: | Apocynum androsaemifolium, bracken fern, dogbane, Pteridium aquilinum, Vaccinium angustifolium |
| Abstract:
The competitiveness of bracken fern and dogbane with wild blueberries was evaluated, along with two control technologies, weed wiping and mowing, in a three-year field experiment. The results suggest that both bracken fern and dogbane can cause economic damage in wild blueberries, although dogbane is the more competitive weed. Of the two weed control technologies evaluated, weed wiping is the more cost effective and provides better control than mowing. The mowing technology uses no chemicals, however, and might be appropriate for reduced chemical production systems. The experimental results were used to calculate economic thresholds for both weeds. The economic thresholds were found to depend on the cost and effectiveness of the control technology, the competitiveness of the weed species and the expected blueberry price. | |
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