Reducing Fruit Sunburn and Splitting in Murrcot Tangarine Fruits by Using Silicate Application

Mohsen, Farid; Ibrahim, Mohamed

doi:10.21608/ajs.2021.54154.1314

Reducing Fruit Sunburn and Splitting in Murrcot Tangarine Fruits by Using Silicate Application

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Horticulture Department, Faculty of agriculture, Zagazig university, Zagazig, Egypt

10.21608/ajs.2021.54154.1314

Abstract

This experiment was done during 2019 and 2020 seasons on 10 years old Murcott tangerine trees (Citrus reticulata, Blanco) grafted on Volkamer lemon rootstock and grown under drip irrigation system at 3 × 5 m apart at a private citrus orchard at Sharkia Governorate, Egypt. The treatments were, Control treatment (sprayed with tape water only), Potassium silicate at 0.6 % (6 ml/ l), Aluminum silicate (Kaolin) at 4 %, Potassium silicate at 0.3 % (3 ml/ l) + Aluminum silicate (Kaolin) at 2 %. The treatments were done at 3 weeks intervals from mid-May to mid-August. The spraying was over the whole tree (canopy and fruits). Generally, all silica treatments improved yield, fruit quality and reduced sunburned and splitted fruits. The combined treatment of kaolin at 2 % + potassium silicate at 0.3 % (3 ml/ l), was the best treatment. Where, it reduced the sunburned and splitted fruits and improved yield, fruit weight, fruit dimensions, peel thickness, TSS% in comparison with other treatments. It could be recommended as a treatment for Murcotte tangarine trees

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