Environmental Aspects of the Fruit Production in Mountain Regions in Bulgaria

The study was conducted during the 2003-2009 period in the Demonstrative Orchard of RIMSA Troyan. Technologies for sustainable fruit production were elaborated conserving the biological equilibrium in the mountain ecosystems of Bulgaria, in which the sloping terrains and low-productive lands prevail. The study included 3 plum cultivars grafted on rootstock 'Myrobolan'; 6 apple cultivars - on 'MM 106'; 4 sour cherry and 6 cherry cultivars - on 'Alcavo'. It was found that the local application of organic fertilizers in trenches, combined with the sod-mulch system for maintenance of the soil surface, improved the nutrient regime of low-productive soils, protected them from erosion and conserved the balance of the ecosystem, without deteriorating the quality of fruit output. Cultivars were selected that are suitable for biological fruit production in mountainous conditions.