Effect of irrigation regimes and Nitrogen rates on growth, yield and fruit quality of Florida prince Peach trees [electronic resource]

Includes bibliographic reference

This study was carried out during two successive seasons 2014 and 2015 at a private orchard at El-Nobaria region, El-Bohaira Governorate, Egypt, to detennine the effect of nitrogen at three rates i.e., 500, 600 and 700 gm /tree/year, irrigation at four levels Le., 9.41. 11.55, 13.41 and 15.42 m3/tree/year and their combinations on growth, yield and fruit quality of eight years old "Florida prince" peach trees budded on Nemaguard rootstock. Results show that nitrogen fertilization rate and irrigation level significantly enhanced vegetative growth in terms of shoot length, leaves number per shoot, leaf area and specific leaf weight. Moreover, yield as kg/tree, chlorophyll and leaf NPK were positively affected by nitrogen rate, irrigation level and their combinations. Also, weight, volume, length, and diameter of the fruits were significantly increased by increasing nitrogen rates from 500 to 700 gm/tree/year and irrigation levels from 9.41 to 15.42 m / tree / year, whereas fruit firmness, TSS, acidity and anthocyanins were significantly increased with nitrogen and decreased with irrigation. Meanwhile, TSS/ acid ratio was not affected by treatments. It might be recommend using 13.41 m3/tree/year, with the addition of fertilizer nitrogen rate of 600 g/tree/year, this treatment had a positive impact on the trees and provided 13% of irrigation water without adversely affecting on vegetative growth, yield and fruit quality.

Summary in Arabic