Effect of Some Iron and Zinc Sources on the Mineral Content Characteristics of Lemon Seedlings (Citrus lemon L.)

Abstract

Citrus lemon L. seedlings aged one year were grown in the lath house of the Hawija horticultural station, ministry of agriculture, horticultural Department, in 2021 for the experiment (local species). Lemon seedlings were studied to assess the effects of different iron and zinc sources and how they interacted with the seedlings’ vegetative growth features. With four levels of iron (control, ferrous sulfate and zinc), the experiment incorporated two factors: two levels of zinc (nano-zinc and chelated iron) (control, zinc sulfate, chelated zinc, and nano-zinc). During the growing season, the seedlings were sprayed three times with the two components at a dosage of 50 mg L-1 from their various sources. Four repetitions of the experiment were used in an RCBD (Randomized Complete Block Design). According to Duncan’s multiple range test at 0.05 probability level, the data were processed and the averages were compared. A considerable increase in nitrogen (3.69%), phosphorous (0.42%), and potassium (1.37%) was seen after spraying with chelated iron, but spraying with nano iron resulted in a decrease. A considerable advantage was gained over the control treatment by the treatment with the highest iron concentration (34,47 mg kg-1). Compared to the control treatment, spraying with zinc sulfate gave the highest percentage of phosphorous (0.23 percent), and spraying with nano-zinc gave the highest percentage of potassium (1.28 percent), and it gave the interaction of chelated iron and sulfate Zinc. Zinc chelated with nano-iron (35.38 mg kg-1) Furthermore, these treatments have surpassed the comparison treatment by a wide margin.