Effect of Sulfur and Potassium Application under Salinity Stress on Productivity and Fruit Quality of Swelling Peach Cultivar

Abstract

This study was conducted during two successive seasons (2016 and 2017) at El-Sheikh Zwayed, North Sinai Governorate, Egypt. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of three anti-salt stress materials (Nile fertile, elemental sulfur and potassium sulfate) on Swelling peach cultivar under irrigation water saline stress. In this experiment Nile fertile was applied at (0, 500 and 1000 gm/ tree), elemental sulfur (95% S) as soil application at three levels (0, 500 and 750 g / tree) and potassium sulphate as foliar application on three concentrations (0, 2, and 4 g/l.) and combination of them. The obtained results revealed that all anti-salt stress substances have a positive effect on vegetative growth parameters, fruit set, and yield/tree. The highest significant value of the final fruit set, yield/tree was obtained with Nile fertile treatment followed by elemental sulfur and potassium sulphate in both seasons of this study. On the other hand, there was no significant differences between the three materials on fruit length, fruit diameter, flesh and pit fruit weight, total soluble solids, total acidity and leaf content of N%, P% and k% during both seasons of the study and leaf content of Fe (ppm) in the 1st season. While the interaction effect between the three investigated factors shows clearly significant effects in improving vegetative growth, final fruit set no. of fruits /tree, fruit weight, crop yield, fruit physical and chemical parameters. Thus, the combination between Nile fertile 1000g/tree + elemental sulfur 750g/tree + potassium sulphate at (4g/L) gave the best results on shoot length, leaf area, initial, final fruit set %, fruit length and diameter, flesh weight (g), pit weight (g), maximum yield/tree, TSS, lowest acidity%. In addition to N, P, K, Fe, Zn and Mn in leaves in both seasons. On the other hand, untreated trees recorded the lowest values in previous studied parameters in this respect.