Feleafel,, M., Gabr, S., Ghoneim,, I. (2000). EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND YIELD OF PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA PEPO L.). Journal of Plant Production, 25(11), 7067-7077. doi: 10.21608/jpp.2000.260097
M. N. Feleafel,; S. M. Gabr; I. M. Ghoneim,. "EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND YIELD OF PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA PEPO L.)". Journal of Plant Production, 25, 11, 2000, 7067-7077. doi: 10.21608/jpp.2000.260097
Feleafel,, M., Gabr, S., Ghoneim,, I. (2000). 'EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND YIELD OF PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA PEPO L.)', Journal of Plant Production, 25(11), pp. 7067-7077. doi: 10.21608/jpp.2000.260097
Feleafel,, M., Gabr, S., Ghoneim,, I. EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND YIELD OF PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA PEPO L.). Journal of Plant Production, 2000; 25(11): 7067-7077. doi: 10.21608/jpp.2000.260097
EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND YIELD OF PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA PEPO L.)
1Dept. of Vegetable crop; Fac. of Agric., El-Shatby, Alex. Univ.Egypt.
2Dept. of Horticulture, Fac. of Agric., Damanhour, Alex. Univ.Egypt.
Abstract
Two field experiments were conducted during the summer seasons of 1995 and 1996 in the Agricultural Experimental Station, at Abies, Alexandria University, to study the effects of four N levels (0,30, 60 and 90 kg N fed.-1) and four K levels (0, 36, 72 and 108 kg K2o fed.-1) on vegetative growth, flowering, yield and mineral contents of pumpkin plants. The results, generally, indicated that increasing N applied rate up to Kg N fed.-1 promoted vegetative growth characters; i.e main stem length plant-1 average branch length, no. of leaves plant-1, average internode length and shoot fresh weight plant-1. Moreover, flowering traits; i.e no. of male and female flowers were increased as a result of increasing N up to 60 kg N fed.-1. However, number of nodes below the first five male and /or female flower decreased. The highest fruit set percentage was obtained from the highest N rate (90 kg N fed.-1). In addition, application of 60 kg N fed-1. was adequate to produce more number of marketable fruits fed.-1, larger fruit size and higher total yield fed.-1 leaf’s N and K contents, positively and significantly, reflected the amount of N applied level, however, leaf’s P content was not affected. The results showed that the intermediate K level of 72 kg K2O fed.-1, greatly improved some vegetative growth characters as well as fruit yield potential, number of marketable fruits fed.-1, average fruit weight and total yield fed.-1. Increasing K level led to a significant increase in leaf’s K and N contents. The interaction effect of N by K was significant on some of the studied traits. Application of 60 kg N fed.-1 in combination with 72 kg K2o fed.-1 seemed to be the most efficient and economical combination treatment which assure a better vegetative growth and a higher fruit yield of pumpkin plants.