Currently, water management is one of the most problematic issues facing cranberry growers. A common misconception that cranberries require a set amount of irrigation per week can lead to many water-related problems including water logging, dehydration, diseases and concomitant yield reduction. Twelve beds were selected on four major soil series (Atsion, Berryland, Manahawkin muck, and Entisol) used under cranberries in NJ. Beds in the study equally represented three major cultivars: Stevens, Early Black and Ben Lear. Several methods for monitoring soil water status were used including groundwater (GW) wells with floats, Theta Probe ML2x device for surface (0-2.5”) water content (WC) measurements, Tensimeter with tensiometers set up at 4”, 8”, 12” depths for matric potential (MP), and LandMapper ERM01 for electrical resistivity (ER). The study beds were also mapped for surface elevation, WC, ER, yield, and fruit rot. Matric potential in cranberry root zone best correlated with GW readings from monitoring floats and was highly variable both spatially and temporally. The within-bed spatial variability of water status is better assessed with ER, than with soil WC, since ER measurements reflect both soil water content and texture, approximating matric potential. Yields in 2004 and 2003 were correlated with soil type, elevation, and ER. The goal for continuing research is to develop a decision support system for cranberries, i.e. based on soil type and hydrology of a bed recommend optimal drainage design and irrigation schedule to maximize yield.
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