EFFECT 	OF 	DRIP 	IRRIGATION AND 	NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ON: 111- THE YIELD, FRUIT QUALITY AND SAVING WATER OF

Shahein,, A. H.; EI- Sabrout, M. B.; Yehia, M. M.; Abd EI-Messeih, W. M.

doi:10.21608/jpp.2002.253995

EFFECT OF DRIP IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN FERTILIZATION ON: 111- THE YIELD, FRUIT QUALITY AND SAVING WATER OF "ANNA" APPLE TREES GROWN IN NEW RECLAIMED SOILS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Department of Pomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

² Horticulture Research Institute, ARC, Giza, Egypt.

³ Department of Pomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.

10.21608/jpp.2002.253995

Abstract

The present research was carried out in 1997 , 1998 , 1999 seasons on 5-
years old "Anna" apple trees budded on MM. 106 rootstock and grown in a loamy
sand soil at Desert Development Center (DOC) of the American University in Cairo
(AUC) Sadat Research Station (SRS), EI-Menofeya Governorate. The objective of
this work was to study the effect of four irrigation treatments and three nitrogen levels
on the yield, fruit quality and saving irrigation water. The amount of irrigation water
applied to each tested tree based on soil-matrix-potential in the three irrigation
treatments (11 , 12 and b) , and the control treatment.
The main results can be summarized in the following points:
        1- Fruit yield per tree was significantly lower in trees grown under low
irrigation rate. The yield increased positively with increasing N level and
irrigation rate.
        2- Increasing irrigation rate as well as N level proportionally increased fruit
weight, length and diameter.
        3- The concentration of anthocyanin in fruit skin, fruit firmness, TSS% in fruit
juice and the percentage of starch in fruits increased gradually with
decreasing irrigation rate.
        4- Increasing N level caused a significant decrease in fruit firmness and
TSS% in fruit juice. On the other hand, the all used levels of nitrogen
fertilization had no effect on anthocyanin concentration in the fruit skin and
the percentages of total sugars, reducing sugars and starch in "Anna"
apple fruits.
        5- The percentage of juice acidity proportionally decreased with decreasing
irrigation rate and N level.
        6- The highest fruit yield was obtained from the trees grown under normal
irrigation rate (1₁) at the end of present study (1999) although, in 1999
season, the latter irrigation treatment used less quantity of irrigation water
(1934. 01 m³/feddan) than the control (2559.53 m³/feddan) through the
entire season.