Nutritional Status of Leaf and Fruit Yield of Sweet Orange Influenced by Foliar Application of Potassium

Abstract

A field study to evaluate the effect of foliar application of potassium sources at various concentration and spray schedule on sweet orange cv. Jaffa was undertaken at experimental orchard, Department of Horticulture, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar during the year 2013–14. The results revealed that the foliar application of potassium nitrate @ 2 and 4 per cent and potassium sulphate at 1.5 and 3.0 per cent improved nitrogen and potash content of leaf over control (water spray) irrespective of spray schedule. Phosphorus content of leaf was not influenced due to K sources at various concentrations. Spray schedule did not affect the nutritional status of the leaf. There was an increase in fruit yield with the increase in K doses of KNO3 and K2SO4. The maximum yield (74.76 kg/plant) was recorded with the application of KNO3 at 4 per cent. Fruit yield was found the highest with three sprays of K in the last week of April, May and August but at par with two sprays in the last week of April and August.