INFLUENCE OF HUMIC FERTILIZER ON THE QUALITY OF STRAWBERRY CULTIVAR 'DARSELECT'

The aim of the present experiment was to evaluate the influence of liquid humic fertilizer treatment according to different mulch materials (tree bark, plastic) on the biochemical composition of ‘Darselect’ fruits. The experiment was carried out at the Research Centre of Organic Farming of Estonian University of Life Sciences in 2010, in the first year after planting. The results showed that the effect of humic fertilizing on strawberry soluble solids and titratable acid ratio was not significant in primary and secondary order fruit. Ascorbic acid values ranged from 79 to 94 mg 100 g^-1 and fertilization had a positive effect on secondary fruits in plants growing in apple tree bark mulch. Also, fertilizing positively influenced the content of total phenolics and anthocyanin in fruits; the increase was 18%, and from 12 to 16% respectively. The results indicate that the cultivation technology had a minor effect on the taste parameters (soluble solids, acids and their ratio) of strawberry, but significantly affected strawberry fruit antioxidants (ascorbic acid, total phenolics and anthocyanins) content according to mulch material and fruit order.