Effect of different growth media on water use, yield and soil properties of blueberry cultivated under shade net

Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) is a perennial plant belonging to the family Ericaceae and genus Vaccinium. The genus comprises both wild and cultivated species distributed across regions worldwide and is known for its significant agronomic and economic importance. (Bhatt & Debnath, 2021). The domestication of blueberries began in the early 1900s under the initiative of Dr Frederic Coville, an American botanist, and Elizabeth White, a blueberry farmer in New Jersey, with the intention to promote the cultivation and commercialization of blueberries. (Giordano et al., 2020). All domesticated varieties were exclusively native to North America, and blueberries were predominantly cultivated in the Northern Hemisphere’s continents , such as North America, Asia, Europe, and some countries of the Southern Hemisphere, such as Argentina, Uruguay, South Africa, New Zealand, Chile, and Australia. (Routray & Orsat, 2011) . In South Africa, the most commonly cultivated blueberries are Southern Highbush, Rabbiteye, and Northern Highbush varieties.