Articles
AUTOCHTHONOUS VACCINIUM MYRTILLUS FOR AUTOCHTHONOUS RURAL VALUE CREATION? II: EUROPEAN BLUEBERRY’S SOIL ECOLOGY AND ROOT SYSTEMS
Article number
1017_6
Pages
77 – 84
Language
English
Abstract
For a successful cultivation of V. myrtillus, its habitat requirements have to be known.
Especially, the pH dependent soil chemical properties in the root-room are of utmost importance.
Therefore, soil analyses in contrasting habitat types and plant analyses were done.
Differences and similarities in the mineral nutrient contents in leaves and stems of V. myrtillus collected from different habitat types were investigated. V. myrtillus grows on very acid soils rich in humus but poor in plant available nitrogen.
The calcifuge dwarf shrub is adapted to the low and disharmonic nutrient supply in the root-room, resulting from a relative excess of aluminium, iron and potassium and a complementary lack of calcium and magnesium at the exchange complex.
The leaves and stems of V. myrtillus contain high amounts of manganese, which is abundantly available at low pH values.
Furthermore, the plants have a relatively high absorption capacity for calcium and their requirements for nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus seems to be low.
There are only little differences in the mineral nutrient contents in leaves and stems of V. myrtillus collected from contrasting habitat types.
At higher altitudes, roots of V. myrtillus are restricted to the uppermost 20 cm, whereas at lower altitudes rooting depth is up to 50 cm.
Especially, the pH dependent soil chemical properties in the root-room are of utmost importance.
Therefore, soil analyses in contrasting habitat types and plant analyses were done.
Differences and similarities in the mineral nutrient contents in leaves and stems of V. myrtillus collected from different habitat types were investigated. V. myrtillus grows on very acid soils rich in humus but poor in plant available nitrogen.
The calcifuge dwarf shrub is adapted to the low and disharmonic nutrient supply in the root-room, resulting from a relative excess of aluminium, iron and potassium and a complementary lack of calcium and magnesium at the exchange complex.
The leaves and stems of V. myrtillus contain high amounts of manganese, which is abundantly available at low pH values.
Furthermore, the plants have a relatively high absorption capacity for calcium and their requirements for nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus seems to be low.
There are only little differences in the mineral nutrient contents in leaves and stems of V. myrtillus collected from contrasting habitat types.
At higher altitudes, roots of V. myrtillus are restricted to the uppermost 20 cm, whereas at lower altitudes rooting depth is up to 50 cm.
Authors
A. Bohner, P. Unterweger , V. Rohrer, E.-M. Gantar, M. Sobotik, R. Kappert
Keywords
dwarf shrub, habitat requirements, soil chemical properties, mineral nutrient content, nutrient requirements, rooting depth, root anatomy
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