Effect of Some Mulching Treatments on Water use Efficiency, Yield and Mineral Composition of "Le-Conte" Pear Trees

*T.A.Eid; **Fatma. I. I. Abou Grah

Abstract

The present work was conducted at El-Kanater Horticultural Research Station during 2009 and 2010 seasons to study the effect of different mulching methods: black polyethylene plastic, rice straw and hand hoeing on water use efficiency, yield and mineral composition of "Le-Conte" pear trees budded on P. communis L. rootstock. Data obtained revealed that all investigated mulching treatments exhibited a positive effect and a significant increase in measured characters as compared to un-mulched treatments in both seasons. Mulching treatments were more effective in increasing water use efficiency, yield diminishing and kc values as compared to un-mulched treatments. Plastic mulch was more effective in this respect where as it improving water use efficiency as compared to other treatments. Moreover, all investigated fruiting parameters (fruit set %, fruit drop %, tree yield either as kg or as No. of fruits per tree, or as ton/fed and yield increment % as compared to the control) were significantly increased as a result of using mulching treatments in comparison with the control. It is quite clear that, leaf N, P and K contents were increased by using both black polyethylene plastic sheet and rice straw mulching treatments in most cases as compared with control . In general, it could be concluded that, both mulching treatments either with black polyethylene plastic sheet or with rice straw were most effective.

Key words

"Le-Conte" pear, P. communis L., plastic mulch, fruiting parameters, polyethylene plastic sheet.