Sustainable Methods and Cultivation Techniques for Improving Iron Deficiency in Blueberries
Blueberry cultivation has one problem that is relatively difficult to solve, and that is iron deficiency. Want to know sustainable methods for improving iron deficiency in blueberries? Then let's take a look together!
Blueberry (Blueberry) originated in North America, and its fruit is rich in antioxidant substances such as anthocyanins (anthocyanidin), making it a widely known nutritious food. It is suitable for cultivation in areas with relatively high rainfall, where the soil is acidic, with a pH of about 4.5-5.5. If blueberries are planted in areas with less rainfall and relatively alkaline soil, the plants cannot easily utilize the iron in the soil, which can easily cause iron deficiency symptoms, possibly leading to leaf yellowing, restricted growth or reduced yield.
The enzymes that synthesize anthocyanins require ferrous ions to participate, so iron deficiency may also affect the efficiency of anthocyanin synthesis in blueberries. Traditionally, farmers add an appropriate amount of sulfur to alkaline soil to help acidify the soil and promote the solubility of iron in the soil, but hastily changing soil acidity or alkalinity by artificial means will affect changes in the microbial community originally present in the soil and will also cause increased greenhouse gas emissions; if the method of adding additional iron chelating agents is adopted, it may lead to groundwater or river pollution.
Past research has shown that mugineic acid family phytosiderophores secreted by the roots of monocotyledonous plants have the function of chelating iron ions, and perhaps such plants can be used in field intercropping with blueberry plants to improve blueberry utilization of iron in the soil. In this study, the University of Chile (Universidad de Chile) used the Emerald variety of blueberries for intercropping with grass family plants respectively, and found that the fruit produced by the experiment not only increased in quantity and weight, but also increased the content of antioxidant substances such as anthocyanins, with an effect the same as using the Fe-EDDHA chelating agent.
Considering the increasing scarcity of natural resources, adopting highly sustainable farming methods helps extend the service life of land resources, and intercropping is one such option. The relevant experimental results can serve as an application reference for blueberry field managers.
