Content of essential microelements in raspberry and blueberry fruits grown on different soils from north Montenegro

The content of essential microelements in raspberry and blueberry fruits from the area of the North Montenegro has been investigated. The content of microelements in the soils has also been analyzed, as well humus content and soil reaction. The investigated soils from the mountain area are acid and very acid with high and very high humus content, while pH of the soils from the river valleys ranged from slightly acid to neutral with significantly lower humus content. The pseudo-total content of Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu and Co in all analyzed soils is within range expected for uncontaminated soils. The amount of iron in raspberry fruits was 142.9 mg/kg on average with the variation interval of 86.3-235 mg/kg, and in the blueberry fruits 130.3 mg/kg with wider variation interval (52-327 mg/kg) in the individual samples. The average amount of Mn in blueberry fruits was 477.7 mg/kg with the variation interval 164.8-770,1 mg/kg, and in raspberry fruits 350 mg/kg with the variation interval of 129.8-848 mg/kg. The average amount of zinc was similar in both investigated fruits, 24.7 mg/kg in raspberry i.e. 29.3 mg/kg in blueberry with the variation interval of 15-30 mg/kg in raspberry, i.e. 9.75-162.0 mg/kg in blueberry. The amount of copper in raspberry and blueberry fruits was within the interval of 6.3-21.5 mg/kg. The amount of Co in raspberry and blueberry fruits was within the interval of 0.78-2.03/kg where the average amount was higher in raspberry (1.42 mg/kg) than in blueberry (0.91 mg/kg). The amounts of zinc and copper in blueberry and raspberry fruits were at expected levels for these fruit species, while the amounts of manganese, iron and cobalt were above the expected concentrations, although much lower than critical concentrations in plants, when toxicity symptoms or yield reduction might occur. Considering all of that, it can be concluded that raspberry and blueberry fruits form the area of the north of Montenegro are rich in these minerals.