Effect of different levels of iron on vegetative growth and mineral content of "Williams" banana plants grown in sand culture [electronic resource].

Includes references.

This work was carried out for two seasons on young banana plants (Musa sp. "Williams Hybrid") grown in sand culture. The experiment included five levels of iron relative to iron in the standard nutrient solution (S.N.S.). These levels were 0%, 50%, 100 %, 200% and 400% Fe. Removing iron from the nutrient solution gave the lowest values of vegetative growth than those of other treatments but no symptoms of chlorosis were detected on leaves. However, all vegetative growth parameters were gradually increased by increasing iron level in the nutrient solution. The maximum increase was obtained by S.N.S. (100%Fe) and (200%Fe) treatments which in most cases gave similar values. More increase in iron level (400% Fe) led to reduce growth comparing with the other treatments. Removing iron from the nutrient solution decreased N and Fe content but led to increase Mn content in leaf blades. Iron content was in plant gradually increased by increasing iron in the nutrient solution. However, there was a gradual decrease in manganese content by increasing iron level in the nutrient solution. On the other hand, it seems that iron treatments had no clear effect on N, P, K and Zn contents. Depending upon the interaction between iron treatments and sampling dates, in the two seasons the different limits of iron content in leaf blades were 71.4-119ppm, 153-281 ppm, 213-308 ppm, 360-640 ppm and 447-853 ppm for plants grown under lack, low, optimum, high and very high level (excess) of iron, respectively. Key words: Musa sp. "Williams Hybrid", iron, sand culture, banana plants, vegetative growth, mineral content.

Summary in Arabic.

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