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Most high bush blueberry growers limited their use of Bird Shield™ to young plantings with heavy bird pressure. A field survey during the season indicated fewer birds, fallen and damaged fruit than adjacent non-treated fields. Bird pressures were significant in large plantings, where only a small portion were treated with the repellent as a trial, than where the entire field was treated. Growers reported significantly higher yields, some as much as 50% more, than prior years. These observations support earlier field trial data on the repellent's efficacy. What Field Research Showed Crop survey conducted on thirty-four fields throughout the Pacific Northwest supported these comments. In thirty-two of the fields bird damage to the crop immediately before harvest was limited to less than 1%; primarily along the edges and near roost trees along the perimeter. The only exceptions were a 1/16th acre field in the middle of a bird sanctuary and a dozen bushes around a house where the birds had been fed all winter. Most of the comments made by the growers centered around the lack of birds they were seeing after applying the repellent. Most growers using Bird Shield™ tried it on fields with a history of significant damage over the last five years. Packing house results Three major packing houses, that were concerned about taste and odor problems, reported that the repellent did not adversely effect the pack-outs of fruit that had been treated with Bird Shield™. They cautioned, however, that each grower must be aware of the potential problem and be sure that no odor or taste remain on the crop before it is picked. |
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