Rabbiteye blueberry plant response to nitrogen and phosphorus

Acid, sandy soils selected for blueberry production are usually deficient in plant available phosphorus. Fertilizer addition at planting has not been a recommended practice. This research was designed to evaluate potted blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) plant growth response to P applied at establishment and interacted with N applied during the growing season. Four liter containerized ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye blueberry plants were transplanted into 4.4 kg of 1:1 v/v loamy sand:peat mixture in an 8‐liter container. Preplant P was incorporated into the mixture at 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 kg/ha rates. Nitrogen was split‐applied post‐plant four times at 60‐day intervals beginning 30 days after blueberry bushes were transplanted. Total N rates were equivalent to 0, 112, 224, or 336 kg/ha. Plants were harvested 270 days after transplanting. Phosphorus at the 60 and 80 kg/ha rates increased plant growth 40 and 31%, respectively. Plant growth responded linearly to increasing N rate. Leaf and stem weight increases contributed to this linear response while root weight was not affected by fertilizer N. Total plant dry weight was increased by N rates at the 60 and 80 kg/ha P levels. Phosphorus applications increased leaf P levels, but did not increase soil test P. Leaf redness, caused by cool temperatures, was reduced by high N rates. The optimum P rate for fertilization of the soilrpeat mixture in the planting hole under conditions of this experiment was the equivalent of 60 kg/ha.