Cultivating Organic American Highbush Blueberries with Retorted Beech Charcoal (RBC)

The research conducted in this study aimed to investigate the impact of retorted beech charcoal on the shoot number and length of the highbush blueberry cultivar ‘Duke’. The experimental trial was established using randomized block system, consisting of three treatments and a control group. The control plants were potted in plastic containers filled with a mixture of sawdust and a substrate designed for commercial blueberry growing by Klasman. The plants in the treatment groups were potted similarly but with the addition of retorted beech charcoal in the root zone and around the root neck. Three different quantities of charcoal were used: 150 g (T1), 100 g (T2) and 50 g (T3). The number and length of shoots were monitored over the two-year period. The results indicated a positive influence of retorted beech charcoal on the number and length of shoots. Specifically, the plants in the treatment groups exhibited longer and more numerous shoots compared to the control group. Furthermore, the results varied depending on the quantity of retorted beech charcoal applied. The treatment with 150 g of retorted beech charcoal recorded the highest average length and number of shoots. Additionally, in both the treatment and control groups, a greater number and length of shoots were observed in the second year of the study.