Authors
1 Associate professor at date palm and tropical fruit research institute of Iran;
2 Scientific board at date palm and tropical fruit research institute of Iran;
Abstract
Due to intact and vigorous root system, tissue culture-derived date palm could establish well in the soil which, in turn, results in satisfactory vegetative growth. Low percentage fruit set and, consequently, poor yield is, however, one of the drawbacks of such plants in the early years of fruiting phase. This study aimed at increasing fruit set and yield of date palm cv. Barhi through impproving irrigation and application of fertilizers during 3 successive seasons from 2008-2010 in Ahvaz, Iran. The experiment was set up as a split-plot arranged in a randomized complete block design with irrigation intervals as the main plots and fertilizer treatments as the sub-plots, with 3 replications. Three irrigation intervals included 7, 14, and 21 days and regimes of fertilization included the control (based on soil test), 30% below the control level, and 30% above the control rate. Results showed that irrigation had significant effects on cholorophyl content and all vegetative parameters, expect leaf. No significant differences in fruiting characteristics were observed between irrigation intervals. Shorter irrigation intervals increased trunk length and diameter, chlorophyll content, number of leaf and leaflets and leaf width. Fertilizer had significant effects on chlorophyll content, leaf width, fruit set and yield. Increased rates of fertlization raised chlorophyll content and increased leaf width but decreased fruit set and yield. Interaction of fertlizer and irrigation had significant effects on all vegetative and reproductive parameters. The highest yield was obtained under 7 days irrigation interval combined with fertilization at 30% below the control (47.4 kg/tree), showing that irrigation is more influential on date yield than fertilizer application
Keywords
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