Evaluation Efficacy of Some Combinations of Organic Fertilizers on Productivity, Fruit Quality and Nutritional Status of Wonderful Pomegranate

Abstract

Pomegranate (Punica granatum, L) has been mentioned in the Hallowed Quran and it was cultivated in Egypt a long time ago. Pomegranate is a popular fruit and considered one of the most valuable fruits for its nutritive, industrial and medicinal values. (Swain, 1965 and Nasacheva, 1973). Recently, in Egypt, pomegranate cultivated area increased rapidly from year to another and reached about 34.27 Hectare (85676 feddan) with total fruit production of 381426 metric tons, according to (M.A.L.R. R.2017). Fertilization plays an important role during the growing season to reach an economical yield with good fruit quality. In Egypt, usually apply mineral fertilizers especially nitrogen fertilizers in very excess quantities (Eman, 2006). Mineral fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals used in production not only have great harmful effects on the environment but also they could change the composition of fruits and vegetables and harmful residues may remain in fruits (Bogatyre, 2000). Organic fertilizers became a promising alternative to mineral fertilizers to decrease of pollution and to produce more safe yield (Blake, 1990). Farmers apply organic N not only to improvement of soil physical, chemical and biological properties but also to increase in the availability of other nutrients (Yagodin, 1984, Lindemann & Cardenas, 1984, El-Salhy et al., 2002, Diab, 2006 and Almadini TO EVALUATE efficacy of fertilizing with different combinations of organic fertilizers on yield, fruit quality and nutritional status of “Wonderful” pomegranate trees, a field experiment was carried out in “Hegazi farm” located in Cairo to Alexandria desert road, Egypt. during three growing seasons 2016, 2017 and 2018 on nine years old pomegranate trees cv. ‘Wonderful’ growing in sandy loam soil under 62% shading. Nitrogen requirements were added from different combinations of commercial organic fertilizers such: Compost (COM), Chicken Manure (CHM), Cattle Manure (CAM) and Mineral Fertilizer (MF) by the rate 40 kg actual N fed-1with or without humic acid addition. The experiment consists of ten treatments spread in a randomized complete block design with five replicates. Fertilizing with (50% (CHM)+ 50% (COM)), (50% (COM) + 50% (CAM) and (33.3% (CHM) + 33.3% COM) + 33.3% (CAM) + humic) enhanced vegetative growth, yield. Fertilizing with (50% (CHM) + 50% (COM) + humic) and (33.3% (CHM) +33.3% (COM) +33.3% (CAM) + humic) improved fruit physical properties like (arils weight, juice weight and juice volume). Fertilizing with, (50% (COM) + 50% (CAM) + humic) gave the highest content of TSS%, TSS/acid ratio & ascorbic acid and least content of acidity. So it could be recommended by, fertilizing “Wonderful” pomegranate trees by one of these treatments (50% CHM +50% COM + humic), (50% COM +50%CAM+ humic) and (33.3% CHM+33.3% COM+33.3% CAM +humic) by the rate of 40 kg actual N fed-1to improve yield, fruit quality and nutritional status.