Effect of Mineral and Bio Nitrogen Fertilizer and Foliar Spray with Some Growth Stimulants on Growth, Yield and Quality of Pumpkin Plants

Hassan, Fayza M.; Zaki, Mohamed M.E.; Mohamed, Mostafa Hamza; Halawa, Samar S.

doi:10.21608/sjas.2024.318725.1455

Effect of Mineral and Bio Nitrogen Fertilizer and Foliar Spray with Some Growth Stimulants on Growth, Yield and Quality of Pumpkin Plants

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, Moshtohor.

10.21608/sjas.2024.318725.1455

Abstract

Bio fertilizers are becoming more and more popular as a way to increase soil fertility and productivity by supplying nutrients. So, the experimental farm of the Horticultural Department, Moshtohor Fac. of Agric., Benha Univ was the site of two field experiments through the two summer seasons of 2022 and 2023 to examine the effect of mineral or/and bio nitrogen fertilizers as soil adding with some growth stimulants, i.e, seaweed extract, potassium citrate and calcium acetate as leaves spraying on vegetative growth, chemical composition of plant foliage, yield productivity and fruit quality of
pumpkin plant. In this experiment, 16 treatments were used, and they were by the multiplying between 4 mineral-N fertilizer, i.e., T1- 100% RDN (Recommended dose of Nitrogen), T2- 80% RDN + Bio fertilizer, T3- 60% RDN + Bio fertilizer, and T4- 40% RDN + Bio fertilizer and 4 foliar spray treatments, i.e., potassium citrate at 3 g/l, seaweed extract at 2 g/l and calcium acetate at 2 g/l comparing water. Results showed that adding bio fertilizer and reducing mineral application rate by 20 % of recommended dose significantly gave the highest vegetative growth characteristics and fruit yield traits through two seasons were compared with 40% RDN + Bio fertilizer. In addition, spraying the plants with SWE at 2 g/l gave the highest significant values of these traits. As for the effect of the interaction, results revealed that fertilizing the pumpkin plants with (80%RDN. + Bio fertilizer) combined with foliar spray with SWE at2 g/l three time reflected the highest values of determined vegetative growth and fruit yield and its quality traits.

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