Effect of Fasting and Foliar Application with Urea on Egyptian lime Trees Productivity A- Leaf ammonium content, flowering, fruit setting and yield of lime trees

Document Type : Original Article

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Horticulture Research Institute , A.R.C., Egypt.

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during two successive seasons of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 in private orchard located at Housh Essa area, Behera governorate, Egypt to study the influence of holding irrigation periods and foliar application with urea on leaf ammonium content, flowering, fruit set and the fruit yield of lime trees   (Egyptian Lime, C. aurantifolia). The relationship between leaf ammonium content and flowering, fruit set and yield was also examined. The trees were divided into 4 groups with 9 trees per group replicates and the tested treatments were, T1: control treatment (Traditional holding irrigation for 15days). T2 (Holding irrigation for 30 days), T3  (Holding irrigation for 45 days) and T4 (Holding irrigation for 60 days). Within each group, three trees were sprayed with urea solution only once and other three twice, while the remaining, three trees were left without spraying as a control. The obtained results proved that holding irrigation period for 45 days with urea spraying twice was efficient in  increasing the ammonium concentrations in lime leaves and produced the highest number of flowers / branch and fruit set / branch . The data also revealed that holding irrigation for 45 or 60 days with urea spraying twice; gave the highest fruit yield / tree comparing with holding irrigation period for 15 days and without urea spray (control treatments). Positive and significant correlation coefficients was noticed between leaf ammonium content and lime fruit yield, except, in the first season, after 15 days with urea application where the correlation coefficient was not significant .

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