THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS FOLIAR FERTILIZERS ON THE TREE DEVELOPMENT, YIELD AND NUT QUALITY IN PISTACHIO

Abstract

The objective of the study was to determine the effects of different foliar fertilizers on tree development, fruit yield and quality in pistachio cv. Siirt. The experiment was conducted at the Nut Research and Application Center (SEKAMER) of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University-Turkey. In the experiment Flora-x, G-Leonardit, G-Helke, G-Potajell and urea were sprayed on pistachio trees. The foliar fertilizer treatments did not significantly affect the average length and diameter of pistacho shoots. Number of fruit buds in the following year were improved by the fertilizer treatments (except urea). Wider canopies were also obtained by some of the fertilizer treatments. Flora-x and G-Leonardite apperared to be the most effective treatments in improving the weights of fresh nuts with hull. Foliar fertilizers also affected the width, length and height of fresh nuts. All foliar fertilizers improved the splitting percentages of the pistachio cultivar. Also, foliar fertilizers increased the weight of 100 nuts with shell. Flora-x and G-Leonardite consistently increased the width, length and height of nuts compared to other fertilizers or control treatment. The last two foliar fertilizers also positively affected the kernel weight of nuts. As in other fruit species, foliar fertilizer application is needed for increasing the pistachio yield and nut quality.