Venlo, The Netherlands
Compas Agro
Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum var. Cargo)
FertiSoil 4-3-3, FertAmino 7-2-2, FertAmino 3-2-7, NutriFul, OLF-Fe & PlantForce
Objective
To evaluate, during the second year of blueberry growth, the benefits of liquid organic fertilisers and biostimulants on the establishment of plantations and their ability to grow resiliently, compared to the standard practice with chemical fertilisers.
- Despite less NPK added, GrowSolutions achieved higher total yields
- Berry firmness improved by 5.7%
- Significantly higher shoot thickness and length
- Consistently increased sugar and micronutrient contents
The total yield per plant for GrowSolutions was 1,152 g which is slightly higher than 1,099 g for the Standard practice. Yield per plant (n = 45) was measured at three harvest dates. At the first harvest, the Standard practice had a higher yield, yields were similar at the second harvest, and GrowSolutions had a higher yield at the final harvest.
Berry firmness showed a slight increase (+5.7%), rising from 0.70 to 0.74 kg. Firmness was measured on 20 berries per treatment using a penetrometer. Plant height, measured on 45 plants from the pot base to the top, showed no significant difference (95 vs 96.8 cm, −1.9%, p = 0.257).
GrowSolutions shoots were thicker (5.03 vs 3.62 cm, +38.9%, p = 0.001) and longer (36 vs 27.4 cm, +31.4%, p < 0.001) than Standard practice. Shoot diameter was measured on 25 selected shoots using a caliper, and shoot length was measured on marked shoots from the base (ground or lowest 10 cm) to the tip.
The plant sap of Standard Practice and GrowSolutions was compared. GrowSolutions consistently showed higher sugar levels. Magnesium (Mg), sulfur (S), iron (Fe),
manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn) were clearly higher, while potassium (K) and total nitrogen (N) were slightly lower than in Standard Practice. Calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P),
and silicon (Si) were higher in GrowSolutions during the second measurement. pH and electrical conductivity (EC) remained comparable.
During the second year of blueberry cultivation, the GrowSolutions practice, with significantly lower NPK input (−30% N, −53% P, −69% K), showed comparable to higher yields and improved fruit quality compared to Standard Practice. GrowSolutions increased sugar content and key micronutrients in the plant sap and enhanced shoot growth and berry firmness. These results confirm that organic fertilisation with biostimulants improves nutrient efficiency while simultaneously supporting plant health and fruit quality.
