ABSTRACT
The lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium augustifolium Ait.) is native to North America (Vander Kloet, 1978) and is typically found on Podzolic soils (Canada Soil Survey Committee, 1978). This species prefers soils that are generally acidic (pH 3.5-5.5), infertile, and have well developed organic layers (Trevett, 1962). Natural genetic variability within fields appears to exert the greatest influence on fruit yields (Hepler and Yarborough, 1991). The cultural practices of pruning and selective herbicides are used to maintain the blueberry as the dominant plant in fields (Yarborough et al., 1986). Regular pruning forces the plant into a biennial production cycle, with maximum yields occurring in the second year after pruning (Jordan and Eaton, 1995).
