This webinar took place on April 12, 2023. The recording will be here within a week of that date!
Resources from the webinar:
- Weed mat used in the experiment: Planting beds were covered with a 2.1mm-thick layer of woven polypropylene landscape fabric (Weed Barrier 20 Year, DeWitt, Sikeston, MO) for weed suppression.
- Sulfur burner used in the experiment: It cost $17 k, and was a small version up to 5 acres (CTC waterworks sulfur burner, Haley Manufacturing, Yakima, WA) equipped with a multistage pump (Goulds e-SV, Xylem, Washington, DC) and a nominal flow rate of 34 Lpm.
- Information about compost in blueberry production https://extension.oregonstate.edu/crop-production/berries/compost-blueberry-plants-testing-tips
About the Webinar
In this webinar, Shikha Singh of Oregon State University will discuss the suitability of different locally available organic materials to improve the quality of sandy and calcareous soils of eastern Oregon and Washington and improve organic blueberry production. More specifically, we are looking at impacts of different organic amendments on physical, chemical, and biological health of soils, which are instrumental to sustainably manage soil resources to promote future cultivation. Results from this study will not only help in determining best management practices and optimal amendments for improving soil health but also increase resource use efficiency by utilizing the locally available waste materials which will help foster grower profitability.
About the Presenter
Shikha Singh is originally from India and currently working as a postdoctoral scholar at Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center. She is working on investigating the hydrological, microbiological, and geochemical processes influenced by various soil organic amendments in northern highbush blueberry systems and evaluating the various amendments for overall soil health.
Funding for this webinar was provided by the USDA NIFA ORG program.
