Milestones in Maine wild blueberry cultivation

Growing a native crop with the help of the University of Maine, the state’s research university

Milestones in Maine wild blueberry cultivation

Growing a native crop with the help of the University of Maine, the state’s research university

1899

First blueberry research report by W.M. Munson at UMaine, published by the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station
Munson, W.M. (1899). The blueberry in Maine. (Orono, ME: Me. Agr. Expt. Sta. 14th Ann. Rpt. 1898), pp. 164-172.

1945

State Blueberry Tax to support research and University of Maine Cooperative Extension outreach efforts, including establishment of Blueberry Hill Farm Experiment Station in Jonesboro and the Maine Wild Blueberry Commission of Maine, headquartered at UMaine

1950–60

Transition from canning to freezing for processing

1952

Fruit fly crisis addressed by UMaine research, including work by F. Lathrop, published by the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station (MAES Bulletin 500)

1960s

Research demonstrates the value of two-year cropping cycle for wild blueberry barrens

1970s

Wild blueberry integrated pest management fruit fly thresholds and trapping program established

1970

Wild blueberry commercial harvester head developed by graduate student Gleason Gray, who then worked for UMaine Extension

1973

Oil embargo prompts more growers than ever to shift from burning to mowing their barrens, which requires removing rocks from their fields

1985

Use of the herbicide Velpar doubles wild blueberry production

1999

More growers than ever begin buying bees and adding irrigation to improve crop yields

2000

State’s largest blueberry crop — 110.6 million pounds

2011

Spotted wing drosophila fruit fly introduced into Maine that infects healthy fruit; thresholds developed in 2017

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