El-Shabrawy, A., Selim, E. (2007). COMBINED EFFECT OF N-FERTILIZATION LEVELS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION WITH Ca Cl2 AND CITRIC ACID ON YIELD AND NITRATE CONTENT OF LETTUCE PLANTS. Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 32(8), 6907-6919. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2007.201342
A. R. El-Shabrawy; E. M. Selim. "COMBINED EFFECT OF N-FERTILIZATION LEVELS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION WITH Ca Cl2 AND CITRIC ACID ON YIELD AND NITRATE CONTENT OF LETTUCE PLANTS". Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 32, 8, 2007, 6907-6919. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2007.201342
El-Shabrawy, A., Selim, E. (2007). 'COMBINED EFFECT OF N-FERTILIZATION LEVELS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION WITH Ca Cl2 AND CITRIC ACID ON YIELD AND NITRATE CONTENT OF LETTUCE PLANTS', Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 32(8), pp. 6907-6919. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2007.201342
El-Shabrawy, A., Selim, E. COMBINED EFFECT OF N-FERTILIZATION LEVELS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION WITH Ca Cl2 AND CITRIC ACID ON YIELD AND NITRATE CONTENT OF LETTUCE PLANTS. Journal of Soil Sciences and Agricultural Engineering, 2007; 32(8): 6907-6919. doi: 10.21608/jssae.2007.201342
COMBINED EFFECT OF N-FERTILIZATION LEVELS AND FOLIAR APPLICATION WITH Ca Cl2 AND CITRIC ACID ON YIELD AND NITRATE CONTENT OF LETTUCE PLANTS
1Veg. Res. Dept, Hort. Res. Inst., Agric. Res. Center, Giza.
2Soil & Water Use Dept., National Research Center (NRC), Doki, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract
To study the combined effect of nitrogen levels and foliar spray with CaCl2 and citric acid on growth, yield and chemical constituents of lettuce cultivar Balady (Romine), two field experiments were conducted at experimental farm of Barramoon, Dakahlia governorate during the winter seasons of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007.Twelve treatments representing all possible combinations of four N levels (0, 40, 60 and 80 kg N fed-1) and three foliar sprays; control (water), CaCl2 (2000ppm) and citric acid (100ppm) were used in split plot design with three replicates. The obtained results can be summarized as follows;
1. Increasing N-levels from 0 up to 80 kg N fed-1 considerably increased all the studied vegetative growth and yield parameters and 80 kg N fed-1 level was the most superior one.
2. Foliar application of CaCl2 (2000 ppm) and citric acid (100 ppm) significantly increased all studied vegetative growth and yield parameters of lettuce plants compared with the control (water).
3. Vegetative growth and yield of lettuce plants were affected significantly by applying the rate of 80 kg N fed-1 and foliar spray with CaCl2 (2000pm) followed by 80 kg N fed-1 and foliar spray with citric acid (100ppm) as compared to the control treatment.
4. Increasing N levels from 0 up to 80 kg N fed-1 significantly increased N, P, K, Mg% and NO-3 (mg kg DW-1) except for Ca% compared with the control.
5. Sprayed lettuce plants with citric acid (100ppm) significantly increased N and K % and foliar application with CaCl2 (2000ppm) increased P, Ca and Mg % and decreased NO-3 and NO2accumulation.
6. Applying of 80 kg N fed-1 and foliar spray with CaCl2 (2000ppm) and citric acid (100ppm) gave the highest values of N, P and K % and its uptake (kg fed-1) as compared to the other treatments.
7. The highest values of Ca % were obtained from plants fertilized with 40 kg N fed-1 and foliar spray with CaCl2 (2000ppm). Plants fertilized with 80 kg N fed-1 and without foliar application with CaCl2 or citric acid gave the highest values of NO-3 or NO-2 (mg kg DW-1).
Finally, it could be concluded that 80 kg N fed-1 and foliar spray with CaCl2 (2000ppm) was the best treatment for maximizing the growth and yield of lettuce plants and minimizing NO-3 content of leaves. So, it could be regarded as the best treatment on basis of yield and NO-3 safety for human nutrition.