Abstract
A research was carried out in the lath house of the College of Agricultural Engineering sciences / University of Baghdad / Al-Jadriyah, for three growth seasons Spring 2017, Fall 2017 and Spring 2018 to study the effect of different fertilization methods, were Fertigation (Ft) , Foliar application (Fa), traditional soil fertilization (Fo) and growth stimulant with two concentrations 0 (D0) and 1.5 mg.L-1 (D1) on the growth of local Citrus limon L. Saplings grafted on Citrus aurantium L. (So), C. volkameriana (Vo), and Citrumello (Co). Saplings were cultivated in 10 kg plastic containers. A factorial experiment was carried out according to the Nested-Factorial Experimental design. Results indicated foliar application (Fa) superiority, followed by Fertigation (Ft) in plant height, rootstock and scion diameter, while the number of shoots increased significantly using (Ft). Lemon trees grafted on (So) showed superiority in plant height, while trees grafted on (Vo) recorded higher rates in rootstock, scion diameter, and shoot number. Plants fertilized with (Fa) surpassed in nutrient use efficiency (NUE) of N, P, K they were 1.18, 0.43 and 1.30 g.dw -1, respectively. (Vo) indicated highest value in (NUE) of N, P, K elements in plants (1.32, 0.48 and 1.45 g. dw -1) in comparison to So and Co. The Fa * Vo * D0 treatment increased significantly rootstock stem diameter (73.15 and 126.03%), while the highest rate in plant height was recorded by Fa * So* D0 (111.19%.) The highest increase rate of shoot number (483.9%), was by Ft * So * D1. The treatment Fo * Co * D1, gave the highest carbohydrate (4.92%).
Highlights
Lemon trees, Citrus limon L. a citrus species, cultivated in Iraq for many years due to suitable growing conditions
Citrus seedling producers try to achieve the best fertilization programs that help the exploitation of added fertilizers and to decrease loss, Ground fertilization can equip the plant with nutrients necessary to improve growth and increase productivity (13 and 16), Bataglia et al (11) referred to the possibility of producing seedlings with excellent qualitiy through fertilization programs based on fertilization with irrigation
Yuan et al (31) and Schumanne et al (26) indicated that fertigation depends on the use of nutritious solutions or small amounts of highly soluble fertilizers in water, which contain all the necessary elements for plant growth that are added through drip irrigation system, the rationalization in the use of water and fertilizer together is performed while increasing the efficiency in their use and reducing the chance of fertilizer loss
Summary
Citrus limon L. a citrus species, cultivated in Iraq for many years due to suitable growing conditions.
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