Impacts of foliar spraying with potassium citrate on pomegranate trees

Document Type : Research articles.

Author

Pomology Dept., Fac. of Agric., Assiut Univ.

Abstract

Pomegranates are grown in upper Egypt, especially in Assiut Governorate, for fresh consumption and juice. Due to increased awareness of pomegranate's health advantages, there is an exponential increase in demand for pomegranate fruit and its by-products. In order to determine the impact of four levels of potassium citrate (100, 200, 300, and 400 ppm) on yield and fruit quality, this study was conducted during the 2021 and 2022 growing seasons on 45 years-old Manfalouty and Hajazy pomegranate trees in the Pomology Orchard at the Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University. A factorial experiment with three replicates was conducted randomized complete blocked design (RCBD). The results showed that potassium citrate treatment led to significant differences at four concentrations used and the concentration of 200 ppm was the best in increasing leaf area, fruit weight, arils and rind weight, juice volume, total soluble solids (TSS), TSS / total acidity, reducing sugars, while there was a significant decrease in total acidity percentage.

Keywords