Introduction: This paper presents the preliminary results of a study that aims to emphasize the compost effect, when used as fertilizer, in Aronia melanocarpa crops [1,2,3]. The study was conducted at the Research Institute for Fruit Growing Pitesti-Maracineni, Arges county, Romania, during the 2019–2020 growing season on Aronia melanocarpa five-year-old plants. Materials and methods: Two different origin composts, A (in 30 and 40 t/ha doses) and M (in 20 and 40 t/ha doses), were administrated, and the results compared to those of untreated plants. Dry weight (DW), total titrable acidity (TTA), total sugar content (TSC), vitamin C (Vit. C), total phenolics, and total anthocyanins content, as quality indicators, were quantified in berries and N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, Mn, and Fe levels were determined in Aronia leaves. Conclusions: As the ANOVA test results showed, in the first experimental year, the influence of compost treatments was focused on berries and less on vegetative organs (leaves). The M-40 type compost significantly increased berries DW, only if compared with A-type compost treatments, and M-20 reduced TPC and A-type fertilizer, significantly decreasing DW (A-30), TTA (A-40), Vit. C (A-40), TAC (A-40) and increasing total sugar content (A-40) in Aronia berries; compost application reduced the foliar content of Zn (A-30), Cu (M-40), Fe (A-40); by decreasing TPC and TAC, compost fertilization proved a helpful instrument in reducing plant abiotic stress.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, C.U. and M.F.C.; methodology, M.F.C.; software, I.C.E.; validation, D.-S.S., C.U. and M.F.C.; formal analysis, G.P.; investigation, M.F.C.; G.P. and I.C.E.; resources, M.F.C.; data curation, C.U.; writing—original draft preparation, M.F.C.; D.-S.S. and C.U.; writing—review and editing, M.F.C.; D.-S.S. and C.U; visualization, M.F.C.; G.P.; D.-S.S. and C.U.; supervision, C.U.; project administration, M.F.C. and I.C.E.; funding acquisition, M.F.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This research received no external funding.
Institutional Review Board Statement
Not applicable.
Informed Consent Statement
Not applicable.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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