Impact of partial rootzone drying and mulching on fruit quality and nutrient contents of raspberries

The aim of experiment was to determine fruit quality and nutrient elements in raspberry fruits after applied water stress - partial rootzone drying and mulching. Macro and micro elements of fruits were analysed in harvest time. The experiment was conducted in Kosovo (Prishtina region) during 2014 and 2015 in a one- to two- year old raspberry orchard of 1 ha using a nested experimental design. Four levels of budget irritation were studied: 100% ET (control) lateral, two laterals (TL), side lateral (SL), and without irrigation (WI). Each treatment contained 10 plants, of which five plants per treatment were mulched with wood chips (size 1-2 cm) at a 10 cm layer in first year of experiment while, 20 cm in second year. Using two-way ANOVA we found significant changes in a series of fruit quality parameters and macro and micro elements. Irrigation had significant changes in: number of fruit, fruit diameter, fruit length, fruit weight, pH, Brix, K, Ca, P, Fe, Cu, Mg, Mn, B, Cr, Zn, and Ni; mulching had significant changes in: fruit weight, pH, Brix, K, Ca, P, Mg, Mn, Fe, Cu, Cr and Zn. Our results confirmed that in our climatic condition raspberry cultivation cannot be performed without irrigation, also PRD is an ideal water saving technique but in total yield, the highest values were found in two laterals followed by side lateral while, in macro and micro elements for most of them the highest values were found in treatment where was applied water stress.