Evaluation of innovative and environmentally safe growing practice suitable for sustainable management of plum orchards

Abstract

Intensive agricultural development based on the long-term and excessive use of chemical nitrogen fertilizers significantly contributes to a series of undesirable effects and results in environmental pollution. In line with the above, there is a pressing need for major changes in agricultural production management. Bearing in mind that fertilization strategy, among other practices, plays an important role in improving the growing technology of different fruit crops, we considered that the above mentioned problems could be overcome by introducing an environmentally safe and innovative practice inplum growing technology as well. Accordingly, a comparative study was conducted to evaluate the effects of biofertilizer (a combination of nitrogen-fixing and phosphorus-mineralizing bacteria including Azotobacter chroococcum, Bacillus megatherium and Bacillus subtilis) and chemical fertilizer (a water-soluble chemical fertilizer supplemented with the microelements B, Cu, Fe, Mn and Zn)on ʻČačanska Lepotica' and 'Stanley' plum cultivars. Morphometric characteristics (fruit weight, length and width), internal quality traits (soluble solids content and firmness) and chemical properties (total phenolic content and total antioxidant activity) of the fruit of the tested plum cultivars were assessed. The obtained results indicate that the substitution of chemical fertilization with biofertilization in 'Čačanska Lepotica' and 'Stanley' is a justified practice. Furthermore, this approach seems to havepotential as an appropriate technique in commercial plum production, which may improve yield-attributing characteristics and the phytochemical content of plum fruits.