-11- 



of a major portion of the crop. Trapping, scare devices, noisemakers , 

 distress calls of birds, electronic sounds, etc. are usually ineffect- 

 ive or so objectionable that their use is impractical or prohibited. 

 The use of netting is very satisfactory but its cost is excessive. 



The carbamate material methiocarb (Mesurol) originated as an 

 insecticide by Farbenfabricken Bayer A.G. of Leverkusen, Germany. 

 Since the early 1970's investigators associated with the U.S. Fish 

 and Wildlife Service, have studied the bird repellent potential 

 of this chemical sprayed on sprouting seeds, grain, cherries, grapes 

 and blueberries, and in some cases these tests have been successful. 

 At the present time methiocarb has been approved for use as a bird 

 repellent on cherries, and in some states it has a "special needs" 

 registration for use on blueberries. 



Since we were aware of the potential value of this bird repell- 

 ent for highbush blueberries but lacked data comparing its effective- 

 ness with protective netting, an experiment was conducted in 1980 at 

 the Horticultural Research Center, Belchertown, MA., within a 100' 

 X 150' area that contained about 40 varieties or numbered selections. 

 Each variety or selection was in a plot consisting of 4 or 5 plants. 

 Prior to treatment in early July, 16 plots were selected for uniform- 

 ity of growth and yield potential , and then 4 plots were randomly 

 selected for each treatment. 



Each plot represents a different variety or selection and, there- 

 fore, time of fruiting ripening and harvesting ^^as variable, Neverthe 

 less, the results show that methiocarb is an excellent bird repellent 

 (Table 1). 



Table 1. The influence of bird repellents on highbush blueberry 



yields, 1980^. 



Treatments 



Dates 

 applied 



Average plant yields (lbs.) 



J 



All 



for each replication ^ r ep 1 i - 

 I n ITI TV cations 



Check (uncovered) 11.94 0.42' 8,99 10,15 7.88 



Methiocarb 7/11,7/31,7/27 15.16 7.00 12.02 23.63 13.95 

 1#/100 gals H2O 



Methiocarb 7/11,7/31,8/27 16.13 18.14 8.73 12,80 13.95 

 2V100 gals H2O 



Net covered 7/3 18.56 10.64 11.35 16.22 14.19 



^The harvesting period was from 7/22 to 9/8. 



^Each randomized replication was a plot of 4 or 5 plants. Each plot 

 contained a different variety. 



Check plot in replicate II ripened 7 to 10 days earlier than all the 

 other plots and the crop was largely consumed by birds prior to the 

 initial methiocarb applications. 



