EFFECT OF FOLIAR SPRAY WITH SOME SAFETY MATERIALS ON THE PRODUCTIVITY AND STORABILITY OF STRAWBERRY FRUITS UNDER SANDY SOIL CONDITIONS

Mandour, Manal

doi:10.21608/jpd.2017.41711

EFFECT OF FOLIAR SPRAY WITH SOME SAFETY MATERIALS ON THE PRODUCTIVITY AND STORABILITY OF STRAWBERRY FRUITS UNDER SANDY SOIL CONDITIONS

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Manal Mandour

Center Lab. Organic Agric, Agric. Res. Center, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/jpd.2017.41711

Abstract

This experiment was carried out during the two successive winter seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 at the Experimental farm of El-Kassasein, Hort. Res. Station, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, to investigate the effect of foliar spray with chitosan (Cs), calcium chloride (CaCl₂₎and potassium silicate (K₂SiO₃) , beside of the control treatment (foliar spray with tap water) on growth, yield and storability of strawberry cv. Festival grown in sandy soil under drip irrigation system. The obtained results showed that, sprayed strawberry plants with Cs+ K₂SiO₃ significantly increased shoot dry weight , early yield / plant and total yield, as well as TSS and vitamin C in fruits at harvested time in both growing seasons.
Under the storage conditions, the lowest total weight loss and decay percentages and highest values of TSS in fruits were noticed when the plants were treated with Cs+CaCl₂. While the fruit firmness had the highest values when the plants sprayed with CaCl₂+ K₂SiO₃ treatment in both growing seasons. On the other hand, the maximum values of vitamin C in fruits were recorded as a result of the plants sprayed with the treatment of Cs+ K₂SiO₃.
Conclusively, it could be concluded that the treatment of Cs + K₂SiO₃ in most cases , being the most effective treatment for obtained highest values of shoot dry weight, early yield, total yield, TSS, firmness, vitamin C, as well as , for obtained lowest values in weight loss and decay percentages of strawberry fruits during storage periods.

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