The fruit of the blueberry, as well as the tasty and healthy berry, is becoming more and more common in the diet of the inhabitants of Western Europe, but also in the domestic market. The trend is that from year to year the consumption of fresh blueberry fruit grows by 25-30% per year, and predictions for the future go in the same direction.
Due to the specific climatic conditions of our climate, standard cultivated blueberry varieties in Serbia arrive in the period from the end of May to the end of June, when there is not much competition on export markets. Thus, in the last few years, blueberries in our country have experienced a significant expansion, and it is believed that they are currently grown on about 1500ha throughout Serbia.
BLUEBERRY PRODUCTION
In our conditions, blueberries are generally grown in two basic ways, directly in the soil and in the substrate in bags or pots. As a rule, the plantations are equipped with modern fertigation systems, and not infrequently they are also covered with anti-hail nets.
This intensive production, as with most fruit species, largely depends on the method and quality of pruning, which is specific to this plant species.
in addition to this important technical measure, the importance of controlling the supply of plants with water and the necessary nutrients is highlighted, that is, the importance of fertigation.
These two measures completely determine the relationship between vegetative growth and generativity, i.e. fertility of plants, and it is necessary to pay full attention to them.
SUPPLEMENTARY FEEDING PROGRAM
The Professional Service of Argomarket approaches the creation of fertigation and foliar nutrition programs in a professional manner, taking into account the parameters of the soil or substrate, the water used in fertigation, as well as the analysis of the plants themselves.
In connection with the specific requirements of this fruit species, Fertico doo produces a large number of Fitofert fertilizer formulations adapted to these needs.
Among the most important products that regularly find a place in these professional foliar and fertigation recipes is Fitofert Magni-Cal B.
This product based on calcium, magnesium and boron, supported by all essential microelements, shows a strong synergistic effect on blueberries.
Blueberry has special requirements regarding the pH value, as well as the specific ratio of ammonia and nitrate nitrogen. The Fitofert Blueberry I 20-5-10+ME formulation meets these needs in the initial stages of development (until fruit formation) very well, and from fruit formation to harvest, the Fitofert Blueberry II 10-5-20+ME formulation is provided as the basic formulation. Along with the mentioned formulations , Fitofert pH Green , a complex of biostimulators and organic acids, which as a water conditioner, lowers the EC and pH in the soil solution, promotes the development of symbiotic microorganisms, improves the efficiency of nutrient absorption, dissolves unavailable bicarbonates and translates them into available calcium, at the same time keeping the fertigation system clean… The amount of this product is directly related to the water quality and the water with a lower EC and pH value, the less will be needed pH Green.
For all plants in the initial stages of development, calcium is a very important element of growth, and this is especially pronounced for blueberries. Standard calcium-based products usually contain nitrate nitrogen, which should be maximally reduced in blueberries, and are difficult to adopt with low pH values otherwise suitable for this plant. In contrast to the mentioned product, Fitofert Ca-Organo 30 is ideally suited to blueberry feeding programs. This unique product in blueberry production can be used in fertigation and foliar applications with great compatibility with other means of protection and nutrition.
In addition to the mentioned products, the wide range of Fitofert range includes a large number of different products based on macro, secondary and microelements, as well as on numerous organic biostimulating components.
If the irrigation water is of good quality and does not contain particularly significant impurities, it is possible to use standard Fitofert feeding programs. Otherwise, a special approach is required in the development of specific nutrition programs, so that the plants express as much of their genetic potential as possible, and the producers achieve good profitability.
High yields, good quality, as well as the health safety of fruits, in addition to the specified specific nutrition technology, can only be achieved with quality protection programs. For this purpose, the Professional Service of Argomarket has prepared an orientation protection program that can be found in the special edition of Agrosvet no. 101 for the 2020 season.