EFFECTS OF FOLIAR SPRAY OF AMINOPLASMAL, NUTRIENTS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS ON VEGETATIVE GROWTH OF PISTACHIO TREES (Pistacia vera L. cv. HALABY)

Abstract

The present study was conducted in 2016 to evaluate the efficacy of foliar spray of Aminoplasmal (A), Boron (B) and Zinc (Zn) on vegetative growth of pistachio trees (cv. ‘Halaby’). Tests were done at a private orchard in the region of Ekmale province of Duhok governorate, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Tests were designed as a 3×3×3 factorial experiment in a randomized complete block (RCBD) with three replications. Treatments tested in the study were three concentration levels of Aminoplasmal (0, 100 and 200ml.L-1); three concentration levels of Boron (0, 200, and 300mg.L-1) and three concentration levels of Zinc (0, 400, and 600mg.L-1). Treatments were consisted of 81 trees with three replicates and each replicate was contained 27 trees,  foliar spraying of studied elements applied at two time, one in time of swollen bud and the other repeated after one month (23March and 27April 2016). Different trait, such as shoot lengths and diameters, leaf area, leaf dry weight, leaf chlorophyll content and number of leave per shoot were measured.  Based on the results, the effects of spraying elements improved the vegetative characteristic. Results showed that Aminoplasmal at second and third levels had a significant effect on shoot lengths and diameters, leaf area, leaf dry weight as compared to control, on the other hand there were no significant differences between the level of Aminoplasmal 100 ml.L-1 and 200 ml.L-1 on shoot lengths and diameters, leaf area, leaf dry weight. In contrasts both of Boron at level 300mg.L-1 and Zinc at level 600mg.L-1 had a significant effect on total leaf chlorophyll content and number of leave per shoot. Referring to the triple interaction, the highest shoot length was obtained in the trees receiving 100 ml.L-1 Aminoplasmal 300 mg.L-1 Boron 600 mg.L-1 Zinc. Whereas the highest shoot diameter, Single leaf area, leaf dry weight, Total chlorophyll content, Number of leaves per shoot  was obtained from the tree received Aminoplasmal200 ml.L-1 with Boron 300 mg.L-1 and 600 mg.L-1 Zinc.