Periodic and Seasonal Flooding Effects on Survival, Growth, and Stomatal Conductance of Young Rabbiteye Blueberry Plants

Abstract

Abstract The response of 2- to 3-year-old ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium ashei Reade) plants to periodic flooding of different durations and seasons was studied under field conditions in 1985 and 1986. Soil redox potentials (Eh) decreased to between 0 and −300 mV within 2 days of flooding and recovered to preflood levels (200 to 300 mV) within 8 to 10 days after flooding release. Plants survived 2-day (four periods) and 7-day (two periods) spring flooding treatments, whereas losses of 17% to 100% occurred after two 2- to 15-day summer flooding episodes. Most (83%) plants survived 106 to 117 days of spring flooding, while 33% and 0% survived 78 and 90 days of summer flooding, respectively. Generally, leaf area, percent fruit set, and yields decreased after two 7-day spring flooding periods, whereas the number of flower buds formed decreased by 38% to 70% with as little as two 2-day summer flooding periods. Stomatal conductance and transpiration decreased after the onset and increased after the release of the two 2- and 7-day summer flooding treatments, but remained low for the 15-day (two periods) and 78-day treatments. The effects of periodic flooding on plant survival, stomatal conductance, and the number of flower buds formed were similar to those found for continuously flooded plants in a previous study.