4.1.1   Stocking rates of honeybee hives for pollinating wild lowbush blueberries.
The Debert Field Station was one of 84 fields involved in the 1998 study. Extreme drought conditions were experienced during the 1998 season in many areas of Nova Scotia, as had occurred during 1997. Yields overall were drastically reduced, but those in the Debert area of Colchester county were up. As in 1997, the effects of weather masked any effects of hive stocking rates, so the study will be repeated yet again in 1999.

4.1.2   Two versus three-year management.
This was the 10^th of 12 seasons for this long term study, which is located at the Debert Field Station and at Mount Thom. Plant data and yields were obtained from crop year plots, and pruning was done in October and in May 1999, as appropriate. The final year for the study will be 2000.

4.1.3   Effects of gypsum and fertilizers on blueberries.
This study, in co-operation with Kevin Sanderson, AAFC, Charlottetown, was initiated in 1998. There are two sites in PEI and three in NS, including one at the NSWBI Field Station in Debert. The study compares gypsum (0 or 4000 kg ha^-1) and 10-10-10 fertilizer (0 and 300 kg ha^-1), with an extra treatment of fish fertilizer at the Debert site. Soil and leaf tissue samples were taken in 1998. Similar samples will be obtained in 1999, along with stem lengths, buds, blossoms and yields.

4.1.4   Effects of high rates of phosphorus on wild blueberry.
This study was continued for at least one more cycle of fertilizer applications, in anticipation of a possible NSERC/AAFC research grant to train two graduate students in the area of phosphorus in blueberry soils and plants. The application was successful, and two graduate students, Cory Murphy and Ryan Ring began their studies in May 1999. Cory will study the effects of composts on phosphorus and other elements in wild blueberry systems. Ryan will assess methods of phosphorus analysis in soil and compare those with plant uptake. He will obtain samples from the rates of phosphorus at the NSWBI Field Station, Debert, and the long term fertility plots at Parrsboro.

4.1.5   Blueberry Competition
During 1997, the final analysis of the competition among species experiment was completed by Dr. Sam Vander Kloet, Acadia University. The data suggest that Vaccinium angustifolium consistently out competes both V. myrtilloides and V. borealis when the plants are grown in direct competition with each other. Dr. VanderKloet plans to submit a paper for publication in 1999.

4.1.6   Winter and frost injury to wild blueberries. The objectives of this study were to assess factors involved in developing fruit bud and blossom damage during winter and spring, effects of boron and zinc related to winter and frost injury, and to determine if frosts sterilize blossoms without observable structural changes.

As in previous years, two inverted freezers, developed by Dr. Peter Havard, Dept of Agricultural Engineering, NSAC, were used to artificially freeze blueberry plants in the field. The 1998 studies were conducted by Dr. Peter Hicklenton, AAFC, Kentville Research Station. The results indicated major problems in control of temperature regimes and results, similar to problems encountered in previous years. The emphasis for further research was then switched to a growth chamber study at Kentville, in which the temperatures could be more closely controlled and monitored. Peter Hicklenton and Kenna MacKenzie are involved in this extensive study.

The winter of 1997-98 was relatively warm and open. Winter injury was minimal at most sites. The bloom period in 1998 was unusually early, and blueberry plants in most fields flowered in a shorter time period than in previous years. Some frost problems were experienced in very early fields, but most were not extensively damaged.

4.1.7   Erosion of blueberry soils.
Soil loss through erosion continues to be a major problem in commercial fields throughout Nova Scotia, with observable dieback of plants at the margins of bare spots. Producers continue to experiment with methods that will help to reduce or eliminate erosion losses. On our visits to fields, however, we still observe extensive areas where erosion is occurring.

In October 1997, we established plots within the select clone and new production areas at the NSWBI field station, in order to assess the effects of soil, bark mulch, municipal compost and sawdust on blueberry rhizome growth and spread. Data from this study will be collected over several years.

4.1.8   Survey of commercial lowbush blueberry fields.
The present study, on 44 commercial fields, including three research plots (oil burn, straw burn and mow) at the NSWBI Field Station, Debert, is a continuation of the study initiated in 1989. The purpose of the original study was to compare levels of soil and leaf tissue nutrients in relation to fertilizer management. Soil and leaf tissue samples were obtained in late July of the prune and crop years for each field. The sampling occurred over two production cycles, and plant samples for analysis of stem length, buds and blossoms were obtained during the second cycle.

Producers began to apply quantities of phosphorus fertilizers to their fields around 1990. We decided, therefore, that a sequential sampling of fields might provide information about the effects and fate of phosphorus. During 1997 and 1998, we sampled 44 of the fields as we had in 1989. We compared levels of soil and plant nutrients in individual fields over the 8-year time period.

From the data collected, it is apparent that repeated applications of phosphorus containing fertilizers results in increased levels of phosphorus in soils; although there is also some evidence that leaf phosphorus levels also rise after repeated applications, the trends are somewhat less defined than are those in the soil.

4.1.9   Mowing Efficiency Studies
Two studies were established in 1998 to determine the optimum height of mowing to allow for optimum costs. The spring study was at the Adams field, whereas the autumn study was established at the Murray Siding field. From the spring study, there were no differences among the prune heights with respect to new plant growth or dry weights. Similar samples will be obtained from the Murray Siding field in June, July and August 1999. The Adams field will be monitored for numbers of buds, blossoms and yields during 1999. The project will be completed in 2000.

4.2   Research Studies

4.2.1   Does Water Availability Influence Photosynthesis and Yields Components of the Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.)?.

Research Group: Vimy Glass (Graduate Student), David Percival (NSAC), Rob Gordon (NSDAM), John Proctor (Department of Plant Agriculture, University of Guelph), J.P. Privé (AAFC), and P. Hicklenton (AAFC)

Drought is the most important factor limiting crops worldwide (Jones and Cortlett, 1992). In recent years, water use management has become an agricultural priority. Associated research effort with many crops including the lowbush blueberry are investigating plant growth and yield under limited water conditions.

The lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) has become an important horticultural commodity in the Northeastern region of North America. Lowbush blueberries are produced on 42,000 ha of native stands in Maine, North America, the Maritime provinces and Quebec (Helper and Yarborough, 1991). Fields originate when competing vegetation is removed and plants spread by rhizomes. Management is predominately a two year cycle. Following pruning, plants grow for a non-cropping year to allow for floral bud initiation to occur. During the cropping year flower buds open, fruit set occurs following bee pollination and fruit is harvested in August.

Soil moisture levels are rarely optimal during the growing season (Treshow, 1970). Moisture is necessary for flower bud development and for increasing blueberry weight (Benoit et al., 1984). The lowbush blueberry maximizes its weight and volume three to four weeks prior to harvest. Therefore, rain or irrigation applied at the start of this period would be most effective for increasing fruit size (Hall and Forsyth, 1967).

Objectives
The objectives of this study were to examine the effect of soil moisture availability on i) leaf gas exchange, and ii) vegetative and reproductive growth of the lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.).

Results and Discussion
Photosynthesis Readings
Photosynthesis and associated physiological processes are the basis for growth and productivity (Cameron et al., 1993). High photosynthetic rates (Fig. 1) were observed during bloom and then declined throughout the season. Significant treatment effect occurred on one day of readings (Julian date 180) where the drought plots were significantly higher than the irrigated or rainfed. However, the drought values consistently decreased over the course of measurements, while the irrigated and rainfed fluctuated.

Yield Components
Yield is dependent upon a number of components (Eaton, 1987), such as flowering zone length, flowering node number and fruit. Path analysis separates correlation coefficients into effects and measures relative importance as components as yield (Kappel, 1990). Yield component analysis in blueberries can more accurately represent the effects of cultivated modifications (Siefker and Hancock, 1986). Stem sample analysis (Table 1) prior to harvest showed no significant differences among stem length, node number, flowering node number, flowering zone length or number of fruit per stem. Samples from 1m² quadrats indicated the drought stressed plots produced the lowest yield (378 gm2) compared with the supplemental irrigation (449 gm²) or control (512 gm²) plots. Individual paths (Fig. 2) were produced for each treatment. Flowering node number was consistently a significantly positive correlation on fruit set as was flowering zone length on flowering node number. The most significant negative correlations occurred between node number and flowering zone length in the drought stressed treatment and rainfed control. However, within the irrigation plots none of the negative correlations produced significant results. Significant positive correlation of stem length to flowering zone length in both drought and rainfed plots were observed.

Conclusion
Although no significant differences were observed for photosynthetic rate or yield components among treatments, differences were seen in the schematic yield component path produced. No significant negative correlations were observed in the supplemental irrigation plots, indicating the change in one component was not related to another. Results from this study suggest drought stress on the lowbush blueberry does not produce significant differences in the number of fruit set; it does result in smaller fruits.

Literature Cited
Benoit, G.R., Grant, W.J., Ismail, A.A. and Yarborough, D.E. (1984). Can. J. Plant Sci. 64, 683.
Cameron, J.S., Klauer, S.F. and Chen, C. (1993). Acta Horticulturae 352, 113-121.
Eaton, G.W. (1987). Fruit Var. J. 41(2), 73-79.
Hall, I.V. and Forsyth, F.R. (1967). Can. J. Plant Sci. 47, 157-159.
Helper, P.R. and Yarborough, D.E. (1991). HortScience 26(3), 245-246.
Jones, H.G. and Cortlett, J.E. (1992). J. Agric. Sci., Cambridge 119, 291-296.
Kappel, F. (1990). J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 115(1), 25-29.
Siefker, J.H. and Hancock, J.F. (1986). J. Amer. Soc. Hort. Sci. 111(4), 606-608

Fig. 1. Path analysis schematic representation for the rainfed control (1), supplemental irrigation (b), and moisture stressed (c) treatments, *, **, *** denote significance at the 5%, 1%, and 0.1% levels respectively.

Table 1. Yield components for the 1998 growing season; significance (=0.05) among treatments denoted with differing letters.

Treatment		Stem length (cm)	Node #	Stem Weight (g)	Flower Node	Fruit #	Yield (g·m2)
Sprout	Control	14.19a	20.22a	8.98a	*	*	*
	Irr	13.26a	19.72a	8.71a	*	*	*
	Drought	12.27a	18.57a	7.18a	*	*	*
Crop	Control	18.14a	15.87a	21.27a	4.40a	11.76a	511.5a
	Irr	15.76a	16.62a	18.93a	3.24a	7.99b	448.5a
	Drought	15.64a	15.97a	19.35a	3.70a	8.57ab	377.9a

4.2.2   Efficiency of Soil vs. Foliar Applications of Boron.

Research Group: Garth Perrin (Graduate Student), David Percival (NSAC), Kevin Sanderson (AAFC Charlottetown), Hal Ju (NSAC), Andrew King (NSDAM), and Dale McIsaac (NSDAM)

Boron (B) is commonly the most deficient of all micronutrients in crop production worldwide. These deficiencies occur because B is mobile in the soil and is easily leached. Leaching is intensified in poor (i.e., stony, weakly structured, or low organic matter) soils and also those with low clay content, both common traits of blueberry fields. A survey of blueberry fields in Maine found that 39 of the 75 surveyed were B deficient. Tissue samples with B content less than 24 ppm in the sprout year and 30 ppm in the crop year indicate deficiency.

Constraints to the use of granular B products include a lag effect between application and assimilation by the plant and increased leaching. B is more critical in reproductive organs and seed and grain formation than in vegetative growth. Foliar applications have been shown to be a quick and efficient mode of supplying B to developing tissues. Foliar B applications will ensure that the B supply is adequate during critical growth stages.

Objective
To compare the rate of assimilation of foliar-applied B with soil-applied B to investigate the assimilation and allocation and the subsequent effects on yield.

Results
The mean soil B level (Fig. 2.1) for all plots before commencing the study was 0.19 µg·g^-1. The mean of the soil-applied B treatments was 0.52 µg·g^-1 compared to 0.18 µg·g^-1 in untreated plots. The soil B levels of the treatment receiving foliar-applied B or the control treatment did not change over the course of the growing season.

Leaf B levels (Fig 2.2) in plots receiving the soil-applied B treatments were 456% greater than the control. Such high concentrations led to B toxicity and a decrease in yield, soil-applied B treatments yielded 19% less than untreated plots. The foliar-applied B treatment increased leaf B levels within 24 hours after application and by 21% compared with the control at the conclusion of the study. There was an increase in leaf B levels in foliar-applied treatments compared to the control was maintained throughout the growing season. At the conclusion of the study the leaf B level of the foliar-applied treatment (24.8 µg·g^-1) was 20.9% greater than the control (20.5 µg·g^-1).

The yield (Table 2.1) of plots receiving soil-applied B (482.5 g) was significantly less than those which did not receive soil-applied B (593.2 g), a 19% decrease.

Discussion
The comparison of foliar B applications with soil B applications indicates there are numerous advantages to foliar-applied B. The use of foliar applications can increase tissue B levels more rapidly than soil applications. There is no leaching problem with foliar applications, a concern when B is soil-applied. It appears to be much easier to augment the tissue B levels via foliar applications without encountering toxicity problems. Foliar B applications did not improve leaf B levels significantly, but this is felt to be more a factor of a low application rate rather than ineffectiveness of foliar sprays. Yield was greater in the foliar-applied B plots than in the control, providing some indication further work is needed to determine the full potential of foliar B use.

Conclusion
Further study of the dynamics of B uptake and assimilation is needed to determine the mode of allocation. Foliar-applied B applications hold more promise than granular fertilizers to quickly alter nutrient levels. Critical stages in plant development such as the fertilization and pollination processes occur over a brief period of time and may be enhanced by supplemental B applications. The use of radio-labelled B should be considered to determine the allocation dynamics and probably should have preceded this study. Before adopting this as a management practice, these results must be reproduced both spatially and temporally.

Table 2.1 Yield of lowbush blueberries as influenced by the application of soil and/or foliar-applied B during the crop year (1998) at the Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Institute, Debert, NS.

Treatmentz		Yieldy (g·m-2)
-Soil Bx	-Foliar Bw	569.3
-Soil B	+Foliar B	617.3
+Soil B	-Foliar B	509.9
+Soil B	+Foliar B	455.0
ANOVA Resultsv		Soil*

^z Both soil and foliar B treatments were applied May 20, 1998
^y Plot yields were estimated by taking the mean of 4 1m² subsamples harvested from each plot on August 7, 1998.
^x Soil B treatments consisted of granular Na₂BO₇ (2 kg·ha^-1).
^w Foliar B treatments consisted of Bortrac 150 (300 ppm in 310 L·ha^-1 of water).
^v Data were analyzed as a 2² factorial design. Analysis of variance results indicate that factors were either non-significant (NS) or significant (*,**,***) at P< (0.05, 0.01, and 0.001), respectively.

4.2.3   Determining the Mechanisms Governing Floral Initiation of Lowbush Blueberry.

Floral primordia on both axillary and terminal buds of lowbush blueberry are apparent in early August of the "sprout"year. Although the lowbush blueberry is a short-day plant (i.e., flower initiation occurs upon exposure to decreasing daylength), the physiological stimuli triggering floral initiation is largely unknown. Although differences in genetic composition influence the onset of floral initiation among wild blueberry clones, it is probable that ontogenetic age plays a critical role. Ontogenetic age can be visualized as a clock that measures the "age" of a plant by the number of nodes formed (Evans, 1990). When the node count reaches a critical value, cessation of apical meristematic activity (i.e., "black tip") occurs followed by physiological and visual symptoms of floral initiation.

In addition to ontogenetic age, the class of phytohormones known as gibberellins may also regulate floral initiation in lowbush blueberries. The response of various plant species to exogenous gibberellic acid applications varies. Negative responses have been noted in Malus domestica Borkh (apple), Fuchsia x hybrida Hort. Ex. Vilm. (Sachs et al., 1967), Magifera indica L.(mango) (Tomer, 1984), Humulus lupulus L. (hops) (Thomas and Schwabe, 1969), and Prunus avium L. (Sweet cherry) (Oliveira, 1993). Positive responses have been reported with Helianthus annus L. (sunflower), Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) France (douglas fir) (Daoudi, 1994), and Rudbeckia hirta L. (Harkess, 1994). No research however, has been conducted on the influence of environmental and phytohormones on lowbush blueberry floral initiation.

The nutritional status of the plant has also been observed to influence floral induction and initiation. In particular, moderate nitrate levels within the stem have been observed to delay floral initiation. Autumn fertilizer applications in rhizotomous turf grasses have resulted in earlier and improved growth the following season (Razmjoo et al., 1996). This is a result of nutrient absorption and translocation to rhizotomous tissue resulting in a larger available nutrient reservoir the following spring for growth and development (Goatley et al., 1994). In addition, despite past research which indicates growth advantages of using urea as an N source, formulations of both urea and ammonium nitrate are used (Townsend, 1969), and differences in winter injury may occur between autumn-applied formulations of N. Therefore, the possible benefits of using autumn fertilizer applications include (1) increased winter hardiness due to an increase in the nutrient reserves in the lowbush blueberry root and rhizome, (2) ease of application with less injury to the root system (i.e., drier in the fall), (3) earlier overall plant growth; and (4) an earlier onset of floral initiation resulting in an increase in actual yield.

OBJECTIVES of the proposed research:
The primary objective of this proposal was to acquire a fundamental understanding of mechanisms governing floral initiation of lowbush blueberries. The specific objectives of this project were to (1) examine the influence of gibberellic acid, anti-gibberellin compounds (paclobutrazol and Topas), and cytokinin on floral initiation, (2) examine the influence of foliar-applied nutrients on floral initiation, (3) examine the influence of autumn- and spring- applied granular fertilizer formulations of N, P, and K, (4) determine the optimum source of N for lowbush blueberries, and (5) evaluate the influence of autumn fertilizer applications on subsequent plant growth and development, with attention directed to ontogenetic development, floral initiation, fruit set, and yield of lowbush blueberries.

Materials and Methods
(i) Experimental Locations: The experimental sites used in this experiment consisted of the NSWBI (plant growth regulator sprout-year experiment and autumn fertilizer experiment) and commercial fields at Woods Mountain and Westbrook (results not included).

(ii) Sprout Year Experiment: A randomized complete block experimental design consisting of four replications and a plot size of 4 x 8 m was used with treatments consisting of (1) a control (no plant growth regulator), (2) gibberellic acid (500 ppm a.i. of GA _{4 + 7}) in the form of ProVide^Tm), (3) paclobutrazol (i.e., 500 ppm a.i. of PP333 in the form of Confer^Tm), and (4) cytokinin (50 µg·liter^-1 a.i. of benzyladenine). Treatments were applied at the onset of "black tip" (i.e., cessation of terminal bud growth) on 25 July 1998. Data was collected from the various phenotypes present in a plot on the number of nodes formed prior to floral initiation, the morphological and anatomical transition from a vegetative to a floral bud, the number of floral buds formed per stem, and stem length. This upcoming growing season, data will be collected on flower number, flower morphology and anatomy, fruit set and yield.

(iii) Cropping Year Experiments: Plant growth regulator experiments using plants in the cropping year of production in 1998 were conducted at Woods Mountain in 1998 to examine (1) the influence of plant growth regulator and foliar-applied nutrient on the floral initiation process of plants in the cropping year of production, and (2) the influence of fruit removal on the process of floral initiation. The plant growth regulator and foliar-applied nutrient experiment was conducted at a commercial field at Woods Mountain with the experiment consisting of five replications and a plot size of 4 x 8 m. A 3² factorial experimental design was used with the factors consisting of plant growth regulator treatment (ProVide, Topas {an anti-GA} and no plant growth regulator) and the other treatment consisting of foliar-applied nutrient (+/- Seniphos). The fruit removal experiment consists of five replications and fifty randomly selected and tagged plants in plots with a plot size of 4 x 8 m.

Data has been collected on the number of nodes formed prior to floral initiation, the number of floral buds formed per stem, and stem length. Research is still presently underway on examining the morphological and anatomical transition from a vegetative to a floral bud. This upcoming season, data will be collected on the incidence of winter injury, flower number, flower morphology and anatomy, fruit set, and yield.

(iii) N Fertilization Experiment: An experiment examining the optimum form of nitrogen application was initiated at the NSWBI and at a commercial field at Westbrook in the autumn of 1997. A randomized complete block experimental design was used with plot sizes of 3 x 3 m (NSWBI) and 3 x 8 m (Westbrook). The fertilizer treatments were applied on 15 October 1997, and 15 May 1998. The treatments consisted of (1) a control (no fertilizer), (2) autumn applications of ammonium nitrate, (3) autumn applications of ammonium sulphate, (4) autumn applications of sulphur coated urea, (5) spring applications of ammonium nitrate, (6) spring applications of ammonium sulphate, and (7) spring applications of sulphur coated urea. The fertilizers used were in a 13-26-5 formulation, with the nitrogen sources being specifically the nitrogen sources of interest (i.e., there was no confounding as a result of using DAP as a phosphorous source). Fertilizers were applied at a rate of 20 kg·ha^-1 with a Scott fertilizer spreader. Measurements on plant growth, number of floral buds, and the number of vegetative buds were collected in the autumn of 1998. Data will be collected in 1999 on the vegetative and reproductive yield components, yield, and berry weight. Because of the presence of trends but no definitive results and a severe drought in 1998, it was decided to repeat the initial experiment at the NSWBI in the autumn of 1998. This will allow for the determination of the proper nitrogen formulation and application date and will also provide the required information for a larger factorial experiment examining the interactive effects of N, P, and K.

Results and Discussion
The plant growth regulator experiments provided some information on the factors regulating the floral initiation process of lowbush blueberries. Of the four plant growth regulators examined, only paclobutrazol had a significant influence on plant morphology with the lengths being significantly shorter than the other treatments (Table 1). Similarly, no significant effect of the plant growth regulators was observed on cropping-year blueberries (Table 2). These results must be viewed with caution with observations being based on the presence of floral buds. There may be an influence of the plant growth regulators on floral primordia within the floral buds. However, this data is not presently available, and will be collected later this spring.

Implications from these studies indicate that the floral initiation process of blueberries is complex, and may involve factors other than a GA/anti-GA response. Such responses have been noted with other short-day crops (e.g., impatiens), resulting in the inhibition of the expression of floral induction and initiation during normal ontogenetic development (Almeida et al., 1996). Therefore, floral induction and initiation may require an additional signal or changes in the level of some other factor before it can occur. Possibilities of other factors include polyamines (e.g., putrescine and spermidine) and phenolamides (Martin-Tanguy, 1995).

The results from the second cropping experiment indicate the importance of plant nutrition in the floral initiation and development process. Applications of the foliar-applied nutrient Seniphos (Phosyn plc: 4% P₂O₅) resulted in 25% more flower buds than the control (Table 2). These differences may have been caused by elevated phosphorus levels in the tissue resulting in elevated levels of cytokinins. Such responses have been observed with apples and tomatoes and indicate the importance and correlation of leaf P and floral initiation. Results from the fruit removal experiment did not result in a significant difference in the number of floral buds (i.e., 11.0 versus 11.2 floral buds·stem_-1 for control and fruit removal treatments respectively). Like the other in-progress plant growth regulator experiments, the impact on floral initiation and primordia development will not be known until bloom of this upcoming season.

The nitrogen formulation and application date experiment has also provided some interesting insight on the influence of application date and nitrogen formulation on lowbush blueberry growth and development. No deleterious effects of autumn nitrogen applications on winter hardiness were observed in this study. No visual differences in stem emergence were observed in the spring after mowing, and only slight differences in growth rates were apparent in early July with stems of the autumn fertilized treatments being further developed than the stems fertilized in the spring. Despite these visual differences in early July, no differences in stem length, floral bud number, fruit zone length, and node number were present between autumn and spring fertilized treatments. Where significant differences did occur however, was between the types of nitrogen sources used. A significant effect of nitrogen source was present with the ammonium sulphate treatments having longer stems, a greater number of floral buds, and a greater node number than the other nitrogen sources. The mechanisms eliciting this response are unclear with no sulphur deficiency being present, and the indication from past literature that no significant differences in preference for nitrogen source existed with wild blueberries (Eaton, personal communication). However, the mechanisms governing this response will be examined in the second nitrogen formulation/application date experiment that is presently underway. Future studies in this area will include the influence of altered autumn application date (i.e., a more pronounced effect may have been observed if applications had been applied in September).

Literature Cited

Almeida, J.A.S.; M. Fatima; and D.A. Pereira. 1996. The control of flower initiation by gibberellinin Helianthis annus L. (Sunflower), a nonphotoperiodic plant. Plant Growth Regulation 19:109-115.

Daoudi, E.I. 1994. Changes in amino-acids and polyamone in shoots and buds of Douglas Fir trees induced to flower bu nitrogen and gibberellins treatments. Canadian Journal of Forest Research 24(9)1854-1863.

Evans, M.R. 1990. Control of long day floral initiation in Euphorbia pulcherrima. Ph.D. Diss. Univ.of Minnesota, St. Paul. Goatley, J.M.; and V. Maddox; D.J. Lang; and K.K. Crouse. 1994. ‘Tifgreen' bermudagrass response to late season application of nitrogen and potassium Agronomy Journal 86:7-10.

Harkess, R.L. 1994. Gibberellin induced and cytokinin induced growth and flowering responses in Rudbeckia-Hirta L. HortScience 29(3) 141-142. Oliveira, C.M. 1993. Gibberellin structure-activity effects on flower initiation in mature trees and on shoot growth in mature and juvenile Prunus avium. Plant Growth Regulation 13(1):55-63.

Razmjoo, K.; T. Amada; J. Suguira; and S. Kaneko. 1996. Effect of nitrogen rates and mowing on colour, density, uniformity, and chemical composition of creeping bentgrass cultivars in winter. J. of Plant Nutrition 19(12) 1499-1509.

Sachs, R.M.; A.M. Kofranek; and S.Y. Shyr. 1967. Gibberellin induced inhibition of floral initiation in fuchsia. Am. J. Botany 54(7):921-929.

Thomas, G.G.; and W.W. Schwabe. 1969. Factors controlling flowering in the hop Humulus lupulus L.). Ann. Bot. 33:781-793.

Townsend, L.R. 1969. Influence of form of nitrogen and pH on growth and nutrient levels in the leaves and roots of the lowbush blueberry. Can. J. Plant Science 49:333-338.

Table 1. Influence of gibberellic acid (ProVide) and paclobutrazol (PP333) on the floral initiation process of wild blueberries at the Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Institute at the conclusion of the 1998 growing season.

	Control	Gibberellic acid (GA)	Paclobutrasol	Cytokinin	ANOVA Results*
Stem length	14.2	12.7	12	13.1	TRT*
Node number	21.2	20.7	19.6	20.6	NS
Node number	10.2	9.71	8.77	9.08	NS
Number of floral buds	4.31	3.78	3.1	3.21	NS

^z Analysis of variance results within each row represents differences in mulch treatments that were nonsignificant (NS) or significant at P=0.05 (*).

Table 2. Influence of gibberellic acid (ProVide), Topas (anti-GA), and foliar-applied nutrients on the floral initiation process of wild blueberries at a commercial field in the cropping year of production (i.e., to be second-cropped) at Woods Mountain at the conclusion of the 1998 growing season.

^z Analysis of variance results within each row represents differences in mulch treatments that were nonsignificant (NS) or significant at P=0.05 (*) and P=0.01 (**).

Table 3. Influence of nitorgen form and application on the vegetative and reproductive yield compontnets at the Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Instittue at the conclusion of the 1998 season