Effect of Macro Nutrients and Nano-Boron Foliar Application on Vegetative Growth, Yield and Fruit Quality of Manzanillo Olive

Abstract

This study was conducted during three successive growing seasons of 2015, 2016 and 2017, in the experimental farm, faculty of Agriculture, Al kawamell, Sohag University, Egypt, to evaluate the efficiency of foliar by macro nutrients at 2.5 to 7.5 g/L and / or nano-boron at 0.025 to 0.1 % on fruiting buds %, growth, yield and fruit quality of ‘Manzanillo’ olive grown in sandy soil. These nutrients were sprayed individually or combined together three times during the growing season; 1stweek of Jan, 1stweek of March, and 1stweek of May. Single and combined applications of macro nutrients at 2.5 to 7.5 g/L and nano-boron at 0.025 to 0.1 % had stimulated the vegetative growth, shoot length, leaf area and number of leaves, percentage of N, P, K and B in leaves, fruiting buds %, yield, fruit weight and dimensions and fruit oils % compared to the control. The promotion on these parameters was associated with increasing concentrations of both applied nutrients. The effect of using macro nutrients was significantly higher than nano-boron % in this respect. Combined applications were also better than using each material alone when carrying out three sprays at the 1stweek of Jan and ,1stweek of March, and 1stweek of May. The mixture of macro nutrients at 5 g/l and nano-boron at 0.1 % gave the best results with regard to yield and fruit quality of Manzanillo olive.