01/12/06 Blueberry Research Roundup

01/12/06 Blueberry Research Roundup

Susan Allen
Susan Allen
It may be a sign that the research aspects of Oregon's blueberry industry are getting some greater recognition, especially within the industry itself. At the recent Oregon Blueberry Commission Research and Public Relations Round Up in Aurora, about 100 people attended the day-long event. YANG: In the past, it's not that many really as far as the research report day. This is the highest attendance ever. And according to Dr. Wei Yang of Oregon State University's North Willamette Research Center, there was plenty to talk about at this year's event. Most projects are supported through the Oregon Blueberry Commission and tackle a variety of efforts. For example, the agenda of the 2006 Round Up ranged from blueberry pesticide application and tracking to efforts to eradicate blueberry scorch virus. And one project that drew some attention was testing of grow tubes on blueberry plants. YANG: Used for like the grape and tree industry. It's a tube installed on the base of the plants to basically adjust the microclimate so the trees and grape vines can grow better. So this project was to test if that was to work for blueberries. Another project Yang believes has the blueberry industry's attention is the development of new cultivars, especially from the standpoint of extending both the growing season and commercial offerings.
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