Nutrient accumulations and efficiencies for maximum blackberry fruit production

Abstract

Blackberry is grown in a wide range of soil pH, and it is known that the adequacy of soil pH is essential for plants to express their maximum nutritional efficiencies and, consequently, reach their maximum productive potential. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the nutritional accumulations and efficiencies for maximum fruit production. The experiment under greenhouse conditions was carried out in a randomized block design followed by a 4 × 2 × 4 factorial scheme with three repetitions. The evaluated factors were four blackberry cultivars (Tupy, Brazos, Guarani, and Xavante) grown in two types of acidic soils (Typical Hapludox [TH] and Rhodic Hapludox [RH]) to which four rates of dolomitic limestone (0, 1.5, 3.0, and 6.0 Mg ha⁻¹) were applied. Fruit production and nutrient accumulation in the fruits, leaves, stems, and roots of the plants were evaluated, as well as the nutritional efficiency of each cultivar. The blackberry cultivar Tupy has been the most productive, independent of the liming rate. Blackberry cultivars have shown differences in nutrient accumulation and efficiencies for maximum fruit production, and they also have distinct nutritional requirements.

Keywords:

• Rubus spp.
• mineral nutrition
• liming
• nutritional efficiency

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The Foundation for Research Support of the State of Minas Gerais (Fapemig), for funding (APQ-01893-21); the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) for providing a graduate student stipend; and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), for the research grant to the first author (308329/2021-0), and a postdoctoral fellowship (151406/2022-7) to the corresponding author.