Response of 'Anna' apple trees growth and yield to foliar application brassinolide, promalin and fulvic acid

Abstract EN

This study was carried out during the two successive seasons 2016 and 2017 on eight years old "Anna" apple trees (Malus domestica L.

) budded on Balady rootstock, grown in a sandy soil under drip irrigation system in a private orchard located at El-Nubaria, EL-Beheira Governorate, Egypt.

The aim of this research was toinvestigate the response of 'Anna' apple trees growth and yield to foliar application with Brassinolide, Promalin and Fulvic acid.

The experimental design was randomized complete block design with four replicates.

Results indicated that all foliar application treatments, significantly (P≤0.05) increased vegetative growth characters, fruit set (% ) and number fruits per tree as compared with the control during both seasons.

Also, all treatments, significantly (P≤0.05) increased fruit weight, yield (kg/tree) and total yield (ton/feddan) as compared with the control treatment, except Promalin treatments during both seasons.

It was evident that the application of Brassinolide 0.06 gm/l treatment or Fulvic acid 3 g/l application treatment caused a higher significant increase in yield (18.33 and 18.63 ton/feddan), (18.07 and 18.24 ton/feddan), each in turn, as compared with the control (13.25 and 13.50 ton/feddan) during both 2016 and 2017 seasons.

Moreover, all Fulvic acid and Brassinolide application treatments, significantly (P≤0.05) increased fruit size, fruit length, diameter, firmness, total soluble solids (% ), total sugars but decrease fruit juice acidity (% ) as compared with the control, while no significant differences were recorded between Promalin treatments and control treatment during both seasons.

On the other hand, all treatments, significantly (P≤0.05) increased anthocyanin and vitamin C as compared with the control, except Promalin 0.3 g/l and Fulvic acid 1 g/l treatments during both 2016 and 2017 seasons.