20
Crops in this Family: Blueberry, Cranberry
Below is a tissue nutrient sufficiency table for the Heath Family (Ericaceae), which includes crops like blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum), cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), and rhododendron (Rhododendron spp.). This table provides macro- and micronutrient sufficiency ranges, leaf water content (LWC), and Brix values across key growth stages. Since nutrient needs vary across Ericaceae species, this table is a generalized synthesis based on well-studied members (e.g., blueberry data from Michigan State University, cranberry data from the University of Wisconsin, and rhododendron data from horticultural studies), adjusted for the family’s physiology, particularly its preference for acidic soils and mycorrhizal associations.
Growth stages are defined as:
- Vegetative (shoot/leaf growth to pre-bloom)
- Flowering (bloom initiation)
- Fruit Set (early fruit development)
- Fruit Maturation (fruit growth to harvest)
- Harvest
Nutrient concentrations are in percentages (%) for macronutrients and parts per million (ppm) for micronutrients, with LWC as a percentage of fresh weight and Brix (°Bx) as soluble solids in leaf sap (not fruit Brix, which is a separate quality metric).
| Growth Stage |
N (%) |
P (%) |
K (%) |
Mg (%) |
Ca (%) |
S (%) |
||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|
|
Vegetative |
1.80 |
2.80 |
0.12 |
0.20 |
0.40 |
0.80 |
0.10 |
0.40 |
0.50 |
1.20 |
0.10 |
0.20 |
|
Flowering |
1.60 |
2.60 |
0.12 |
0.20 |
0.40 |
0.80 |
0.10 |
0.40 |
0.60 |
1.40 |
0.10 |
0.20 |
|
Fruit Set |
1.50 |
2.50 |
0.10 |
0.18 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
0.10 |
0.40 |
0.60 |
1.40 |
0.10 |
0.20 |
|
Fruit Maturation |
1.30 |
2.30 |
0.10 |
0.18 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
0.10 |
0.40 |
0.50 |
1.20 |
0.10 |
0.20 |
|
Harvest |
1.30 |
2.00 |
0.10 |
0.18 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
0.10 |
0.40 |
0.50 |
1.00 |
0.10 |
0.20 |
|
B (ppm) |
Zn (ppm) |
Mn (ppm) |
Fe (ppm) |
Cu (ppm) |
Mo (ppm) |
|||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|
|
Vegetative |
20 |
50 |
8 |
30 |
50 |
400 |
50 |
150 |
5 |
15 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
Flowering |
25 |
60 |
8 |
30 |
50 |
400 |
50 |
150 |
5 |
15 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
Fruit Set |
25 |
70 |
8 |
30 |
50 |
400 |
50 |
150 |
5 |
15 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
Fruit Maturation |
20 |
50 |
8 |
30 |
50 |
400 |
50 |
150 |
5 |
15 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
Harvest |
20 |
40 |
5 |
25 |
40 |
300 |
40 |
120 |
4 |
10 |
0.10 |
1.00 |
|
LWC |
BRIX |
|||||||||||
|
Min |
Max |
Min |
Max |
|||||||||
|
Vegetative |
80 |
85 |
8 |
12 |
||||||||
|
Flowering |
78 |
83 |
10 |
14 |
||||||||
|
Fruit Set |
77 |
82 |
12 |
16 |
||||||||
|
Fruit Maturation |
75 |
80 |
8 |
12 |
||||||||
|
Harvest |
70 |
75 |
8 |
10 |
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- Ensure that over 25% of the scan bed is covered with a single layer of vegetation.
- Nutrient and LWC data are from fully expanded leaves (e.g., blueberry mid-season leaves, cranberry upright tips).
