EFFECT OF POTASStUM FERfiL1ZAtION ON GROWTH, LEAVES NUTRIENT CONTENT, AND yiELD OF " KHALAS" DATE PALM IN AL HASSA OASIS (K. S. A.)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Soil and Water Dept., Faculty of Agric., AI- Azhar University, Cairo Egypt

Abstract

This study was carried out during the season of 2005 on a 20 years-old
"Khalas" date palms (Phoenix dactylifera, L.), grown on sandy loam soils, varied in
their K content, in AI Hassa Oasis (K. S. A), to investigate the effect of potassium
fertilization on their growth, leaves nutrient content and yield. The results revealed that
the best treatment of potassium fertilization was 4.5 kg / palm /year of potassium
sulphate fertilizer (50% K20). Although the results indicating that the high response of
K fertilization was obtained for the deficient soil in their K content. In this respect the
results showed that the best method of K application was disked in holes on soil. As
regard to proper time of application, the results also revealed that the application of K
fertilizer at two equal doses in May and December or at three equal doses in Marsh,
May and December is better. Such treatments increased yield, leaf growth as well as
leaf N, P and K contents of date palm.

Keywords