Effect of Zinc and Urea Foliar Spray on Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of" Canino" Apricot Trees Grown In Sandy Soils

Abdelfattah S. Wally, Nagwa A. Abd El-Megeed and Hanna M. Sherief

Abstract

The present investigation was performed during the two successive seasons of 2010 and 2011 on "Canino" apricot (prunus armeniaca) trees of ten year old grown in new reclaimed sandy soil. Trees were sprayed by two Zinc forms i.e, sulphate and chelated at 0.1 and 0.2% alone or combined with urea at 0.5% at full bloom, fruit set and two months later. Spraying chelate zinc at 0.2% + 0.5% urea treatment recorded significantly the highest shoot length, leaf area, fruit set, and yield and improved significantly fruit quality as compared with the lowest values of the unsprayed trees (control). The highest fruit flesh firmness, T.S.S, carotene and sugars content as well as leaf mineral composition were resulted by the same foliar spray treatment (chelate zinc at 0.2% + 0.5% urea) as compared to the control.

Key words

" Canino" apricot - zinc sulphate –chelate zinc- fruit set- yield - fruit quality- leaf mineral composition