Effect of different fertilizers on the mineral content of pumpkin fruit

Abstract

Pumpkin is a vegetable that contains relatively large amounts of biologically active substances. Vegetables are best known as a source of carotenoids and dietary fibres. In addition to this, the pumpkin pulp accumulates significant quantities of minerals. The aim of this work was to identify the most effective fertilizers stimulating accumulation of mineral compounds. The experiment was carried out at the Experimental Station of Aleksandras Stulginskis University, in the central part of Lithuania. Six pumpkins cultivars have been investigated: Cucurbita maxima Duch. – Stofuntovaja, Bambino, Kroshka; Cucurbita moschata (Duch.) Duch. ex Poir. – Zemcuzina; Cucurbita pepo L. – Miranda, Golosemiannaja. The experiment was carried out in five combinations: no fertilization (control), humic substances (HS) fertilizer, complex fertilizers, compost and mixture of complex fertilizers, and humic substances fertilizers. The amounts of macro- and micro-elements were determined in dry matter of the pumpkin fruit pulp by the inductive plasma mass spectrometry method. The data of the analyses showed that the mixture of complex and HS fertilizers had the strongest positive influence on the accumulation of dry matter in the pumpkin fruit. All the fertilizers increased the amount of crude ash in the pumpkin fruit, but no significant differences among the fertilizers and cultivars were found. The biggest amounts of crude ash accumulated in pumpkins fertilized with the complex fertilizers and the…