IMPACT OF DIFFERENT SOURCES OF NITROGEN FERTILIZERS ON PERFORMANCE GROWTH OF DATE PALM (Phoenix dactylifera L. cv. Bartomouda)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Central Laboratory of Date Palm for Research and Development, Agric. Research Center, Giza, Egypt

Abstract

A green house experiment was carried out in two successive seasons on date Palm plantlets (Phoenix dactylifera L. cv. Bartomouda) from 2012 to 2013, to evaluated the effectiveness of different sources of nitrogen fertilizer at four treatments as (T2) 5 g/l ammonium sulfate 20 % (1 g nitrogen), (T3) 3 g/l potassium nitrate 33% (1 g nitrogen) and (T4) 2 g/l urea (46%) with the irrigation water one time/ week.The design of the experiment was randomized complete with three replicates. The results revealed that, plant height cm, leaves numbers, root length cm and numbers, and fresh and dry weights of leaves and roots were increasing highly significantly with 3 g/l of potassium nitrate graduated by 2 g/l urea and 5 g/l ammonium sulfate respectively at both seasons. Chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids contents showed significant rising with 3 g/l potassium nitrate. Greatest significant contents of indole and proline were obtained under T3 for two seasons. Leaves nitrogen content N was increased by 2 g/l urea in the two seasons; on the other hand, root nitrogen content was increased with treatment 3 g/l potassium nitrate, sequenced by T2 and T4 treatments. Leaves and roots phosphorus P content significantly raising under 3g/l potassium nitrate and 5 g/l ammonium sulfate for two seasons. In the presence of 5 g/l ammonium sulfate and 3 g/l potassium nitrate leaves and root potassium content K were largest at two seasons respectively. This research shows that the nitrogen formula as potassium nitrate > ammonium sulfate > urea were recommended to highly increasing growth of date palm plantlets in the green house.

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