Joan R. Davenport

A survey of several soil physical characteristics of cultivated cranberry bog soils in North America

Abstract Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) historically have been established on peat based soils and, in most cases, are treated every three to five years with a 1–4 cm layer of sand. A total of 46 soil samples from cranberry bogs in five states [Massachusetts (MA), New Jersey (NJ), Oregon (OR), Washington (WA), and Wisconsin (WI)] and one Canadian province [British Columbia (BC)] were collected and analyzed for bulk density, particle density, and percent organic carbon to assess the range of these characteristics which have resulted from management practices. Soil bulk densities ranged from 0.16 to 1.40 Mg/m3, particle densities from 0.71 to 2.45 Mg/m3, and organic carbon from 1.3 to 95. 2%. The wide ranges reflect the differences between non‐sanded and regularly sanded bogs. The low end of density and high end of organic C were found in the non‐sanded bogs, which were located in WA and BC. The bogs from the other areas had higher average bulk and particle density levels, approximately 1 and 1.7 ...

Evaluation of yield quantity and quality of two oil crops in the promotion of sustained deficit irrigation in the Pacific Northwest, USA

Agriculture, as the main user of available fresh water in the Pacific Northwest, faces persistent pressure to be efficient. The intent is to maximize the water use efficiency of crops by minimizing the amount of water used for production by reducing irrigation levels and minimizing water losses. This study evaluated the impacts of reduced, sustained deficit irrigation water management on two specialty oil crops, mint and canola. The study evaluated the yield parameters of native spearmint (Mentha Spicata) and two varieties of canola (Rapier and Athena) over two seasons for the impact of sustained deficit irrigation on the quantity and quality of yields and yield characteristics. Sustained deficit irrigation is shown to be adaptable to water constraints for canola and spearmint with potentials to stabilize farm returns by potentially raising the unit price of the oils and byproducts. With this scenario increased price offers, due to improved quality coupled with production cost savings would create a production niche to sustain the Pacific Northwest spearmint and canola farming systems.