MSU Studies Effect Of Road Salt On Blueberry Patches
April 8, 2014 Michigan recently experienced one of the coldest winters on record in the last 20 years, which meant a lot of salt had to be applied to the roadways. With 5,950 acres planted, Ottawa County is the second-largest blueberry production county in the state.
The Ottawa Road Commission implemented an Integrated Road Salt Management Program in 2005 to reduce the impact of road salt on blueberry fields facing the roads. Michigan State University has also studied the effectiveness of the program by comparing dieback in fields along salted roads and fields facing non-salted roads.
Researchers at Michigan State University have noticed wither damage and dieback in commercial blueberry patches increased when the crops, already stressed by cold temperatures, were exposed to road salt.
To read more about this study, click here.
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