Effects of conifer release treatments on the growth and fruit production of Vaccinium spp. in northwestern Ontario

Abstract

Berry production and vegetative recovery of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) and velvet leaf blueberry (Vaccinium myrtilloides Michx.) were documented for three growing seasons (1994, 1995, 1996) after brushsaw, single operational and multiple nonoperational Vision® herbicide (active ingredient glyphosate), and control treatments in a jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) plantation in northwestern Ontario. Vaccinium angustifolium fruit production was significantly (P <= 0.05) reduced by both the single and multiple treatments in all 3 years of the study. Fruit production by V. myrtilloides was significantly (P <= 0.05) reduced only by the multiple treatment. The significant reduction in berry production by V. angustifolium contributed to an overall drop in the availability of blueberries (both species combined) on sprayed clearcuts in 1995 and 1996. Single and multiple treatments also significantly (P <= 0.05) reduced fresh mass and dry mass of total berries in 1995 and 1996. Compared with the controls, reductions in cover for both blueberry species were only significant (P <= 0.05) with the Vision® treatments. In clearcuts where V. angustifolium forms a major component of the Vaccinium spp. cover, the short-term reduction in fruit availability in sprayed areas may be considerable.