Response of Date Palm Cv. Khastawi to Foliar Spray with Micro-Elements, Gibberellic Acid and Salicylic Acid

Abstract

The study was conducted in one of the private palm orchards in the district of Hit - Euphrates district during the 2021-2022 growing season on date palm trees (Cv. Khastawi), aged 30 years, to find out the response of the date palm cultivar Khastawi to spraying with micro-elements at concentrations (0, 1 g L-1) and symbolized by (M0 and M1), and spraying with gibberellic acid at concentrations (0, 100, 200 mg L-1) and symbolized by (G0, G1, and G2) respectively, and spraying with salicylic acid in concentrations (0, 100, 200 mg L-1) and symbols symbolized by (S0, S1, S2) respectively. All service operations of the orchard were carried out in the same way as adding animal manure, pruning, pollination, watering, pest control and other service operations in a similar manner for all experimental units. The results showed that spraying with microelements at concentration (M1) showed a significant effect on all studied traits except for the non-reducing sugars content of the fruits and it amounted to (11.00 g, 15.42 kg cluster-1, 121.73 kg palm-1, 69.41%, 44.47%, 59.12%) this is for the traits (fruit weight, cluster weight, yield, total soluble solids, reducing sugars, total sugars), respectively. Also, spraying with gibberellin showed a significant effect on the traits (fruit weight, yield, total soluble solids), and the treatment (G2) gave the highest values for the trait (fruit weight). On the other hand, salicylic spraying have a significant effect on the studied traits (fruit weight, cluster weight, total soluble solids, reducing sugars and total sugars). The concentration (S2) showed the best values for the two traits with (11.31 g, 15.52 kg cluster-1, 69.50%, 43.84% and 59.37%), respectively. The two-way interactions between the study factors showed a significant effect that varied according to the type of trait and the interaction factors. Whereas for the three-way interaction between the study factors reached the level of significance in all the studied traits.