International Blueberry Conference 2026 Overview (Poland, March 5–6)
The International Blueberry Conference 2026 returns for its 14th edition as a two-day meeting designed to combine strategic discussion with on-farm practicality. The event is scheduled for March 5–6, 2026 in Poland, with a conference day focused on knowledge exchange and a field day built around real production decisions.
Across both days, the conference brings together the full supply chain—producers, buyers, exporters, and technology providers—to align on what matters most for the coming seasons: cultivation priorities, market direction, and the challenges that increasingly influence profitability and fruit quality.
We’re also glad to confirm that Cultiva EcoSolutions will be part of the program. Dr. Emilia Mikulewicz will deliver a practical session focused on gray mold (Botrytis) control in blueberries, approaching the topic from a foundational angle: starting with the microbiome.
For attendees, this format is useful because it supports two kinds of learning in a single trip: structured presentations on key production themes, plus the chance to see how decisions look in a real plantation setting—where variety, canopy structure, equipment, and workflow shape outcomes.
Event Format and Locations in Poland (Ożarów Mazowiecki and Grójec)
March 5: Conference Day in Ożarów Mazowiecki (Hotel Mazurkas)
The conference is intentionally split into two complementary days. March 5 is a classic conference setting at Hotel Mazurkas in Ożarów Mazowiecki (near Warsaw), where speakers address production strategy, technology, and market context in a structured agenda.
This day typically works best for growers and managers who want to gather “decision inputs” before the season—what to prioritize, what risks are most relevant, and where operational improvements can protect quality and efficiency. It’s also where networking is strongest, including an evening gala dinner that allows for longer technical conversations beyond the stage.
March 6: Field Day Near Grójec (Plantation Demonstrations)
March 6 moves into the field: a blueberry plantation near Grójec, with live demonstrations and practical sessions. This is where theoretical points become easier to evaluate—because you can see canopy structure, pruning choices, machinery workflow, and real orchard constraints in action.
If you’re building a plan for 2026, the two-day structure helps connect the “why” (conference sessions) to the “how” (field practice), which is often what determines whether improvements actually stick on the farm.
Why This Conference Matters for Blueberry Growers
The International Blueberry Conference has built a reputation for being highly practical, market-aware, and strongly connected to on-farm reality. If your goal for 2026 is to improve:
- fruit quality and shelf life
- control disease pressure while staying buyer- and export-ready (MRLs, retailer protocols)
- precision irrigation and nutrition
- efficiency through varieties, technology, and mechanization
- your understanding of European and global market dynamics
…this event is designed for exactly that.
A conference like this is useful because it concentrates multiple decision areas into one program: pollination and crop set, fertigation and irrigation precision, pest and disease control that protects market access and buyer acceptance, and postharvest handling that preserves firmness and marketability. These themes link directly to pack-out rates, claims risk, and ultimately the price that fruit can command.
There is also an industry-facing layer: the agenda includes discussion of the broader European context and how production regions compare. For growers and exporters, those signals matter—because market dynamics can influence variety choices, harvest strategy, and investment in sorting/packing capability.
Finally, the conference is a practical networking environment. For many participants, the biggest gains come from comparing approaches with peers—what worked, what failed, and what changed the outcome—especially when the discussion is tied to real farm constraints rather than generic recommendations.
Cultiva EcoSolutions Session: Microbiome-First Gray Mold (Botrytis) Control in Blueberries
Dr. Emilia Mikulewicz (Cultiva EcoSolutions) will present:
Gray Mold (Botrytis) Control in Blueberries: Start With the Microbiome
Gray mold remains one of the most costly and frustrating challenges in blueberries — impacting yield, firmness, postharvest quality, and storage performance. What makes it especially complex is that it’s not just a “spray program” issue. It’s strongly influenced by:
- canopy microclimate and humidity patterns
- plant stress physiology
- nutrition balance
- field hygiene and infection timing
- and critically: the microbial ecology around flowers, fruit, and plant tissues
This talk focuses on building a system strategy — not a reactive one — so growers can reduce pressure and protect fruit quality in a way that aligns with modern market requirements.
Expect a practical, decision-ready perspective, including:
- Outcomes, not “sprays.” How to reduce storage losses, protect firmness, and improve commercial pack-out by lowering risk early—before symptoms appear.
- Microclimate where it matters. How wetness duration and fruit-zone “condensation pockets” inside the canopy drive decay—and what to adjust to reduce claims risk.
- Microbiome-first, but operational. Where biological tools (Bacillus, Trichoderma, Pseudomonas) fit, why they work only preventively and conditionally, and how to improve results via viability, formulation, coverage, compatibility, and post-application conditions.
- Physiology + fertigation links to decay. How stress and nutrition balance (including Ca dynamics) shape fruit vulnerability—and where the root-zone microbiome helps or breaks down under low oxygen, pH/EC stress, temperature swings, or residues.
- A simple field-to-cold-chain framework. A practical way to connect field decisions to postharvest performance—fewer cold-room surprises, fewer claims conversations.
Why This Topic Matters Now
Blueberry markets are tightening on consistency: pack-outs, firmness, and shelf life increasingly decide buyer acceptance and export readiness. At the same time, residue expectations and retailer protocols leave less room for “late rescue” chemistry. That’s why reliable Botrytis control is built upstream—before harvest and through the cold chain.
What Problem We’re Solving
- Latent infections that stay hidden in the field but escalate after harvest.
- Cold-chain losses—softening, decay, and shelf-life breakdown that reduce pack-out and trigger claims.
- Residue pressure that limits last-minute options and forces prevention-first systems.
International Blueberry Conference 2026 Agenda Highlights (March 5)
The published program includes sessions on pollination, production systems, precision support under difficult seasonal conditions, breeding and new varieties, irrigation/fertigation, pest control without residues, AI technologies already working in practice, postharvest cooling principles, and a European market development debate.
Below is a curated snapshot of the day’s flow (as published by the organizer):
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00–09:20 | Conference opening (official part) – Mariusz Podymniak |
| 09:20–09:45 | Pollination matters! – Prof. Monika Bieniasz, PhD (University of Agriculture in Krakow) |
| 09:45–10:10 | Blueberry checklist 2026: what to check, improve, and change for the coming season – Paweł Krawiec, PhD (Horti Team) |
| 10:10–10:30 | Intelligent control of blueberry yield physiology – Małgorzata Gruszczyk, PhD (Natura Expert / Extracts.pro) |
| 10:30–10:50 | Breeding development and the future of new Polish varieties – Prof. Stanisław Pluta (Institute of Horticulture – National Research Institute, Skierniewice) |
| 10:50–11:05 | Discussion & summary |
| 11:05–12:00 | Coffee break |
| 12:00–12:40 | Control and precision in fertilization and irrigation = fruit quality – Marco R. Butera (Global Berry Specialist) |
| 12:40–13:00 | Residue-free control of spotted wing drosophila: is it possible? – Tomasz Gasparski (Bayer Polska) |
| 13:00–13:20 | Harvest blueberries without losing quality: what do the new varieties offer? – Arkadiusz Bajak (Fall Creek) |
| 13:20–13:50 | AI in practice: these technologies are already working – Paweł Wawryszczuk (Polana) & Maciej Dusza (AGRISKY) |
| 13:50–14:10 | Discussion & summary |
| 14:10–15:20 | Lunch break |
| 15:20–16:00 | Prospects and challenges for further blueberry development in Europe – DEBATE (Moderator: Dominika Kozarzewska) |
| 16:00–16:30 | Highbush blueberry cultivation in Europe, Chile, and the USA: mistakes, successes, and forward thinking – Krzysztof Żabówka (Fall Creek) |
| 16:30–16:55 | Prospects for mechanical blueberry harvesting: where is Poland in the global market? – Paweł Dąbrowski & Arkadiusz Smarz (Agronom Berries Group) |
| 16:55–17:25 | North versus South – Stephen Taylor (Winterwood Farms Ltd.) |
| 17:25–17:55 | Cultiva EcoSolutions lecture: How to effectively control gray mold in blueberry cultivation — let’s start with the microbiome – Dr. Emilia Mikulewicz (Cultiva EcoSolutions) |
| 17:55–18:25 | How not to lose quality and shelf life after harvest: cooling principles in cold stores and packing houses – Krzysztof P. Rutkowski, PhD (Institute of Horticulture – National Research Institute, Skierniewice) |
| 18:25–18:40 | Discussion & summary |
| 19:30–00:00 | Industry banquet (Hotel Mazurkas) |
Note: The organizer states that the program may change.
Field Day Near Grójec (March 6): Machinery, Pruning, and Varieties
The second day is built for growers and technical teams who want to see things live:
- machinery demonstrations
- blueberry pruning sessions
- variety-focused practical work (including Valor, Cargo, Top Shelf, Duke)
This is an ideal environment to compare approaches, ask detailed questions, and calibrate your own strategy for the coming season.
International Blueberry Conference 2026 Registration and Tickets
The organizer encourages early registration and ticket purchase. As communicated in the event announcement, the lowest ticket prices were available only until the end of December (pricing and availability may vary depending on package and timing).
Meet Cultiva EcoSolutions at the International Blueberry Conference
If you’ll be attending, come say hello. We’re always happy to discuss practical topics such as:
- gray mold pressure patterns and prevention strategy
- fruit firmness, shelf life, and postharvest risk reduction
- microbiome management as a farm-level system (not a buzzword)
- field decisions that protect quality and profitability
See you on March 5–6, 2026 — in Ożarów Mazowiecki and near Grójec.
Frequently Asked Questions About the International Blueberry Conference 2026 and Microbiome-First Gray Mold Control
The International Blueberry Conference 2026 takes place on March 5–6, 2026 in Poland. March 5 is the conference day at Hotel Mazurkas in Ożarów Mazowiecki (near Warsaw), and March 6 is a field day at a blueberry plantation near Grójec. The two-day format combines structured presentations with practical, on-farm demonstrations.
Dr. Emilia Mikulewicz (Cultiva EcoSolutions) will present a practical session on gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) control in blueberries using a microbiome-first approach. The focus is on building a system strategy to reduce pressure and protect fruit quality and shelf life, linking field actions to postharvest outcomes rather than treating Botrytis as only a spray-program issue.
In blueberries, gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) is influenced by the whole production system, not only spray timing. The article highlights key drivers such as canopy microclimate and humidity patterns, plant stress physiology, nutrition balance, field hygiene and infection timing, and the microbial ecology around flowers and fruit. Addressing these factors supports prevention-first control.
Field decisions shape postharvest outcomes because Botrytis risk and fruit condition are set long before cooling and packing. Managing canopy structure, humidity patterns, stress, nutrition balance, and hygiene and infection timing helps reduce pressure and supports better firmness and shelf-life protection. This is why the talk connects prevention-first actions to storage performance.
The conference is designed to be highly practical and market-aware, helping teams improve fruit quality and shelf life, strengthen disease pressure management while staying market- and buyer-compliant, and refine precision irrigation and nutrition. Its two-day format combines decision-focused presentations with a field day where growers can evaluate pruning, machinery workflow, and real plantation constraints in practice.
