Yield, fruit quality and nutrient uptake of ‘Nabbut-Ahmar’ date palm grown in sandy loam soil as affected by NPK fertigation

ABSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted in 2011 and 2012 to study the effect of fertigation on yield, fruit quality and nutrient uptake of ‘Nabbut-Ahmar’ date palm cultivar grown in sandy loam soil. Three fertigation treatments were compared with traditional application. In traditional treatment (CT), the recommended dose [2300 g nitrogen (N), 1200 g phosphorus (P) and 1400 g/tree] was applied as a soil broadcast in three equal doses. The fertigation treatments, (T2), (T3) and (T4), represent all nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) amounts of CT, 2/3 CT and 1/3 CT, respectively that were injected in twelve equal doses. The results showed that compared to CT, the fertigation treatments increased yield/palm by 41%, 31% and 18% for T3, T2 and T4, respectively. Beside the increase in yield, 33% and 66% of the applied fertilizers were saved by T3 and T4, respectively, compared with CT. Feritgation treatments had no negative impact on the overall fruit quality characteristics and even increased total soluble solids (TSS), soluble tannins and total phenols concentrations compared to the conventional fertilization. Availability of NPK increased by fertigation but without further increase in leaves and fruit. In conclusion applying 2/3 of the recommended dose of NPK fertilizers under dry land condition through fertigation maximize yield, quality and fertilizer use efficiency.

KEYWORDS:

• NPK
• drip irrigation
• fertilization
• fertilizer efficiency
• soil

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank PhD. Mohamed I. Elsayed, MSc. Nageeb El-Masoudi and El-Saied Sabry at the Faculty of Meteorology, Environment and Arid Land Agriculture, King Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia, for their indispensable technical support.

Funding

This project was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR), King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, under grant no. 174/155-1431. The authors, therefore, acknowledge with thanks DSR technical and financial support.