FIRST RESULTS OF THE FIVE FIG CULTIVARS INVESTIGATION ON PILOT-PLANTATION IN REGION OF ISTRIA, CROATIA

Croatian littoral and islands are in abundancy of deserted and uncultivated agricultural land. Fig cultivation on plantations can represent an ideal way of sustainable reuse of these areas. Moreover, fresh and processed figs will give them recognizable agri-ecological image, so characteristic to the Mediterranean. According to the official development agricultural plans for Mediterranean parts of Croatia, SKINK Company Rovinj planted in spring of 1999 a pilot fig orchard on location of Kazela, close to the touristic town of Medulin in region of Istria. One-year old seedlings were planted on area of app. 2 ha and using a modern drip irrigation system. With this activity a long-term research project commenced. The purpose of the project is to develop a fig plantation model with the aim of increasing of profit on local farms. Within plantation there is a trial field with five different cultivars and total of 80 fig plants. The plants were planted using the accidental block system which can be later used for future investigations polyfactorial trials on characteristics of different cultivars and fig cultivation techniques and technologies. During the period 1999-2005 a vegetative increase of the plants was measured. The highest increase was reported on cultivar Fico della Madonna, while the opposite results were measured on cultivars Vodenjaca and Bruzetka Bijela. The earliest start of vegetation was reported on cultivars Bruzetka Bijela and Fico della Madonna, while latest on cultivars Petrovaca Bijela and Petrovaca Crna. The fruitage per one tree has been almost equal and still low, so the yield is not specially presented. The greatest fruits (average weight 39.11 g) were measured on cultivar Fico della Madonna, and the smallest ones (average weight 21.43 g) on the cultivar Bruzetka Bijela.