EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT PLANT EXTRACTS ON THE MINERAL CONTENT OF BLACKBERRY LEAF (R. fruticosus) IN ORGANIC PRODUCTION

SUMMARY The aims of this study were to investigate the chemical content of plant extracts of nettle (Urtica dioica), alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) and to determine their effect on the chemical content of blackberry leaves grown in organic production. The increase in yield of cultivated plants, which have been subjected to foliar treatments, is the result of the nutrient uptake from solution, which results in the intensification of photosynthesis and the accumulation of minerals in the edible part of the plant (Guievence and Badem, 2000; Batra et al., 2002). The aim of the study was to investigate the chemical composition of plant extracts of nettle, alfalfa and dandelion and to determine their effect on the concentration of minerals in the blackberry leaves grown in organic production. During this study the following properties were analyzed: the chemical composition of plant extracts, macroelement concentration (%), microelement concentration (mg kg-1) and the fresh and dry weight of blackberry leaves (g).