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Blueberry Research 2003 The University of Tennessee research has been ongoing for a number of years, but in 1999 blueberry research plots were planted at four Experiment Stations; Knoxville Experiment Station, Plateau Experiment Station, Highland Rim Experiment Station, and the Middle Tennessee Experiment Station. At each location four replications were planted using two varieties with four treatments each. The two varieties were Tiftblue (Rabbiteye) with a Centura pollinator and Bluecrop (Highbush) with a Duke polinator. The treatments were diffenent covers used on raised beds. The covers were bare (control), bare plus mulch (old sawdust), black (ground cloth), black plus mulch, and white. The white was black ground cloth painted with white latex paint. The goal was to determine if different ground coverings would affect the time at which the blueberries would break dormancy. In Tennessee warm snaps early in the year can cause the plants to break dormancy and then more cold weather follows. Two varieties recommended for this area are being compared. In 2000 the plot at the Knoxville Experiment Station was instrumented to record temperature and moisture at a depth of four inches in the raised bed. In 2002 the remaining experiment stations were instrumented. The below listed "Excel" files each have three tabs of information; the actual data recorded, a graph of the average temperature in Centigrade by Julian Day and the average soil moisture in centibars. Monthly temperature and soil moisture data for:
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