Organic farming preserve and upgrade the biodiversity of the soil and biodiversity of the entire ecosystem by protecting the environment, plants, and human health. This study analyses organic plant ...production worldwide and in Montenegro (2000-2020) and discusses the prospects and challenges in developing organic plant production. Geographically, Montenegro has a diverse climate, suitable for the production of more types of fields crops, vegetables and fruits throughout the year. The paper compares the area of organic farms, the number of farmers, and share of organic in the overall agricultural land in the world and Montenegro, Europe, and several European countries similar to Montenegro in terms of relief or area (Switzerland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Estonia, Serbia, and Cyprus). Data were also analysed for a mountainous state, such as Switzerland, and a Mediterranean one, as Cyprus, as by its position and relief, Montenegro is at the same time a mountainous (northern) and a Mediterranean country (southern region). Shows are trends in plant production areas in Montenegro since it gained independence (2006) and comparison with the EU countries. Grassland production prevails in Montenegro with 85.89%, followed by fruit (12.26%) and cereals (1.62%). The total area under organic vegetable covered a small area compared to the production of fodder crops (3951.84 ha), fruit (563.98 ha), medicinal and aromatic plants (232.46 ha) and field crops (74.49 ha). Organic fruit production has the largest share in the northern part of Montenegro. Certified organic production brings benefits because health-safe products are a condition for preserving the environment and health.
•Blackberry fertilization with NPK, manure, natural zeolite and their mixtures changed the most cane and berry physical traits and leaf nutrient status.•Impact of fertilizer treatments on berry ...soluble solids content, acidity and juice pH were not significant.•All fertilizer treatments induced normal levels of leaf N, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn and deficiency of P, K and B.•NPK and NPK+zeolite showed the best balanced nutritional values for macronutrients, and NPK, manure, NPK+manure+zeolite and NPK+manure for micronutrients.•Year (season) provoked stronger differences than fertilizer treatments.
Research was conducted during three consecutive years to evaluate the effects of compound NPK (15-15-15), cattle manure and natural zeolite, commercially named “Agrozel”, applied alone or in combination, on cane properties, yield, berry quality attributes and mid-summer leaf mineral status of ‘Thornfree’ blackberry grown on an acidic, shallow, heavy-textured soil in the region of Cacak, Western Serbia.Results revealed that all evaluated traits significantly differed among fertilizer treatments and across years in general. In most cases, all evaluated properties, except leaf nutrient content, were affected by the fertilizer treatment×year interaction. Generally, mixtures of NPK, cattle manure and Agrozel (T3) and NPK and cattle manure (T7), and NPK alone (T1) in most cases had better and similar capacity to improve primocane growth, bearing shoot characteristics, productivity, berry physical properties and levels of some macro- and micronutrients compared to other treatments, whereas the combined applications of Agrozel and manure (T4) and NPK and Agrozel (T5) and especially Agrozel alone (T6) induced the lowest values for most properties. The effect of fertilization treatments on berry soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA), juice pH and leaf N, Mg and Zn levels was not significant. The highest values of cane traits, berry external attributes and RI were obtained in 2008, yield, berry acidity, most of leaf nutrients in 2010, and SSC and juice pH were found in 2009, respectively. DOP and ΣDOP indexes revealed that primocane leaf nutrient amounts were within recommended levels, except P, K and B, which were below recommended standards. Three-year fertilization induced a good leaf nutrient balance.
•The results indicated fertiliser-specific differences for most of the traits evaluated.•Nitrogen fertilisers promoted apricot tree growth and yield performances.•Multi-nutrient MCB fertiliser ...induced better values of the most fruit quality traits.•Generally, all fertilisers provoked excessive leaf P, and deficiency of most nutrients.•These data will help to improve the productivity and fruit quality of apricots.
Apricot tree growth, productivity, fruit quality attributes, and nutritional status of leaves of cv. ‘Roxana’ were evaluated under different fertilization treatments from the first to the fifth year after planting on acidic soil in Western Serbia. Treatments including applications of cattle manure, complex NPK (15:15:15) mineral fertiliser, multi-nutrient fertiliser commercially named Multi Comp Base (NPK+MgO+Me+humic acids), two types of N (calcium ammonium nitrate and urea) mineral fertilisers, natural zeolite (type “Agrozel”) and control (no fertilization). Results showed that both N fertilisers promoted tree growth, precocity, yield performances and soluble solid content, whereas Multi Comp Base fertiliser, in general, provoked the best values of the most fruit physical attributes, ripening index, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents. Also, respectable values of some physical traits, total phenolic contents and yield efficiency were provided by Agrozel and manure, respectively. Differences among fertiliser treatments for leaf macro- and micronutrients content at 120 days after full bloom (DAFB) were significant, except for leaf B. In general, all fertiliser applications and control promoted excessive leaf P and insufficiency of N, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn and B. Leaves Mn and Cu status were not consistent. High imbalances among macronutrients were promoted by NPK and Agrozel, while the best balances among micronutrients were induced by NPK.
The research was conducted in the experimental-production plum orchard during 2013. Some of the most important physical and mechanical properties of the fruit were investigated in three plum ...cultivars ("Čačanska Rana", "Čačanska Lepotica" i "Čačanska Najbolja") grafted on four rootstocks: one generative Myrobalan (Prunus cerasifera Ehrh.) and three vegetative ones (Pixy, St. Julien A and Ferley). St. Julien A induced the highest all three fruit dimensions in "Čačanska Najbolja", and length and thickness in "Čačanska Lepotica". Myrobalan and Fereley had the same effect in the "Čačanska Rana". St. Julien A influenced the biggest fruit firmness in "Čačanska Najbolja" and the smallest in "Čačanska Lepotica".
•Seven sweet cherry cultivars on Mazzard and Colt rootstocks were grown in HDP system on heavy and acidic soil.•Mazzard improved tree growth and yield, whereas Colt promoted fruit quality and leaf ...nutrient content.•‘Stark Hardy Giant’ on both rootstocks had the lowest tree vigor and the highest yield efficiency.•High variability between rootstocks and among cultivars in leaf nutrients content was found.•Both rootstocks and all cultivars provoked excessive leaf N and Cu, and deficiency of other nutrients.
From 2008 to 2013 we investigate impact of Mazzard seedlings and Colt rootstock on tree growth, precocity, productivity, gross profit, fruit quality and leaf nutrients level of seven sweet cherry cultivars which are grown at Cacak region (Serbia) on heavy and acidic soil in high density planting system (HDP). Results showed that most of the evaluated traits significantly varied between rootstock and among cultivars. Thus, Mazzard induced higher tree vigor, yield performances, gross profit, flesh rate, fruit acidity, and leaf P and Mn levels, whereas Colt induced higher fruit weight, fruit dimensions, size and shape values, stone weight, ripening index and leaf N, Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn amounts. Regarding cultivars, ‘Stark Hardy Giant’ (‘SHG’) had the lowest tree vigor on both rootstocks, whereas the highest was induced by ‘New Star’ on Mazzard, and by ‘Summit’ and ‘Lapins’ on Colt. Generally, the highest values of yield attributes and financial results were found in ‘Sunburst’ on Mazzard and ‘SHG’ on Colt, whereas ‘New Star’ had the poorest. ‘New Star’ on both rootstocks, ‘June Early’ on Mazzard, and ‘Lapins’ on Colt were cultivars with the better fruit weight and other physical traits, whereas ‘Hedelfinger’ had higher soluble solids content (SSC) and acidity on both rootstocks as compared with others. ‘New Star’ grafted on Mazzard and ‘Lapins’ on Colt showed a tendency to promote higher RI. Cherries of trees grafted on Colt showed higher capacity to accumulate leaf N, Ca, Mg, Fe and Zn, whereas leaf of cherries on Colt had higher P and Mn amounts. High variability among cultivars regarding leaf nutrients content was found. Both rootstocks and all cultivars on them exhibited excessive leaf N and Cu levels, and high insufficiency of other leaf macro- and micronutrients. Colt showed better balanced nutritional values for macronutrients, whereas rootstock impact on this trait for micronutrients was not significant. ‘SHG’ on both rootstocks, in general, is the cultivar with the best balanced nutritional values as compared to others.
Fruit apricot dimensions, weight, size and shape are the most commonly measured pomological properties. The size and shape features of 13 apricot (Prunus armeniaca L.) cultivars and promising Serbian ...selections grown in Western Serbia were investigated using a multivariate analysis. The apricots promoted fruits wider than long in shape, except ‘Harcot’, ‘T 7’, ‘Précoce de Tyrinthe’, ‘Roksana’ and ‘Vera’, whereas all cultivars and selections are wider than thick. Most of cultivars and/or selections tend to round shape. Mean values for fruit and stone weight, flesh rate, geometric mean diameter, kernel weight, sphericity, aspect ratio, surface area and volume ranged from 37.09 to 81.60 g, 2.71 to 4.18 g, 91.93 to 96.46%, 41.76 to 65.08 mm, 0.60 to 1.17 g, 0.94 to 1.03, 95.04 to 108.09%, 55.13 to 133.77 cm2 and 38.31 to 145.10 cm3, respectively. For the most of attributes evaluated, ‘Roksana’ had the highest values. A high correlation was found among some physical attributes. According to their 22 properties, the apricots grouped into five clusters. There was either relative independence or close correspondence among the evaluation indexes of apricot fruit quality. Principal components analysis showed that the first three principal components variance accumulation contribution rate amounted to 85.77%, which reflected most of the size and shape characteristics of apricots.
•Trees of four apricot cultivars were treated with organic and inorganic fertilisers.•Manure improved fruit weight, while N fertiliser promoted tree growth and yield.•Complex NPK and natural zeolite ...(Agrozel) improved fruit quality traits.•Type of fertilisers significantly influenced leaf nutrients content, except leaf N and K.•In most of the traits evaluated important variability among cultivars were obtained.
The influence of cattle manure, complex NPK (15:15:15) and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) mineral fertilisers and natural zeolite commercially named “Agrozel” on tree growth, productivity, fruit physico-chemical features and leaf nutritional status of four apricot cultivars was studied under acidic soil conditions in Western Serbia. Tree growth and yield performances were increased by CAN and NPK applications in general, whereas manure promoted the highest fruit weight. All fertilisers, except NPK promoted flesh firmness. Application of NPK improved primary fruit metabolites (soluble solids and total sugars content and titratable acidity), whereas Agrozel induced the highest levels of secondary metabolites total phenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content (TFC) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC). The highest tree vigor and the lowest productivity were observed in ‘Biljana’, while ‘Harcot’ had low tree vigor and high productivity. The largest fruits and highest flesh firmness were observed in ‘Vera’ and ‘Biljana’, respectively. Fruits of ‘Aleksandar’ are rich source in soluble solids content and TFC, ‘Biljana’ in total sugars, ‘Vera’ also in total sugars and TAC, while ‘Harcot’ had the highest levels of titratable acidity and TPC. Fertiliser treatments positively affected leaf macro- and micronutrients content, except leaf N and K at 120 days after full bloom (DAFB). All fertilisers induced excessive leaf P content, and deficiency of other nutrients in most cases. Leaf K and Mn contents, partially N and Cu, were not consistent. The highest imbalances and better balances among macronutrients were found when trees of ‘Vera’ and ‘Harcot’ fertilized with manure, respectively, whereas these characteristics among micronutrients were observed when trees of ‘Aleksandar’ and ‘Biljana’ fertilized with CAN, respectively. Leaf of ‘Harcot’ showed better balance values among macronutrients, and ‘Biljana’ among micronutrients.
The behavior of five apricots grafted across Blackthorn inter-stem (BI) on Myrobalan stock and on Myrobalan rootstock (MR) was evaluated through vegetative growth, tree mortality, productivity, fruit ...quality and leaf nutrient composition from the 1st to the 6th leaf. The trial was performed in the Prislonica village (Cacak, Serbia), on a dry, shallow, sandy-loam and acidic soil. Results showed that MR improved tree vigor, yield per tree, cumulative yield, fruit weight, flesh rate, acidity, antioxidant power, leaf N, K, Ca and Mn contents and better balanced nutritional values for macronutrients. BI increased tree mortality, yield efficiency, yield per hectare, total phenolic and total flavonoid contents, and leaf P and Fe amounts. Wide variability among cultivars for evaluated traits was observed on both BI and MR. The more vigorous trees had ‘Biljana’ as compared with others on both BI and MR, whereas the most productive cultivar was ‘Vera’ on BI and ‘Biljana’ on MR. The highest and similar fruit weight had ‘Roxana’ and ‘Harcot’, whereas the highest stone weight and flesh rate was found in ‘Vera’ and ‘Harcot’, respectively, all in both BI and MR. Fruits harvested from ‘Aleksandar’ trees were rich in soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and total flavonoid content (TFC), ‘Harcot’ in total phenolic content (TPC), and ‘Roxana’ in acidity and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), also on both BI and MR. The better balanced nutritional values were promoted by BI. Regarding cultivars, the best balanced nutritional values for macronutrients were exhibited by ‘Vera’ on BI, and by ‘Harcot’ on MR. For micronutrients, the wider imbalance among nutrients was found in ‘Roxana’ on BI, and in ‘Vera’ on MR.
PDF
