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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #305813

Title: Uptake and partitioning of nutrients in blackberry and raspberry and evaluating plant nutrient status for accurate assessment of fertilizer requirements

Author
item STRIK, BERNADINE - Oregon State University
item Bryla, David

Submitted to: HortScience
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2014
Publication Date: 7/28/2014
Citation: Strik, B.C., Bryla, D.R. 2014. Uptake and partitioning of nutrients in blackberry and raspberry and evaluating plant nutrient status for accurate assessment of fertilizer requirements. HortScience. 49(9):S59 [Abstract].

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Raspberry and blackberry plantings have relatively low nutrient requirements compared to many other perennial fruit crops. Annual total N accumulation in the aboveground plant ranged from 69-122 kg/ha and 37-44 kg/ha in field-grown red raspberry and blackberry. Primocanes rely primarily on fertilizer N for growth, whereas floricane growth is dependent on stored N in the over-wintering primocanes, crown, and roots. Plants receiving higher rates of N fertilizer took up more N, often leading to higher N concentrations in the tissues, including the fruit. Reallocation of N from senescing floricanes and primocane leaves to canes, crown, and roots has been documented. Accumulation of other nutrients in plant parts usually preceded growth. Primocanes generally contained the highest concentration of most nutrients during the growing season, except Ca, Cu, and Zn, which often were more concentrated in the roots. Roots typically contained the highest concentration of all nutrients during winter dormancy. Nutrient partitioning varied considerably among elements due to different nutrient concentrations and requirements in each plant part. This difference not only affected the proportion of each nutrient allocated to plant parts, but also the relative amount of the nutrients lost or removed during harvest, leaf senescence, and pruning. Nutrient concentrations are similar for raspberry and blackberry fruit but vary among cultivars and production systems. Nutrient removal in harvested red raspberry and blackberry fruit ranged from 12-20 kg/ha N, 2-4 kg/ha P, 11-21 kg/ha K, 1-2 kg/ha Ca, and 1-4 kg/ha Mg. Pruning senescing floricanes in August led to greater plant nutrient losses than pruning in autumn. Primocane leaf nutrient concentrations are used in nutrient management programs, but concentrations often differ among cultivars and with leaf sampling time. Development of tissue standards that are specific to the type of caneberry grown would be an important tool for nutrient management programs.