Impact of organic manure on fruit set, fruit retention, yield, and nutritional status in pomegranate (Punica granatumL. “Wonderful”) under water and mineral fertilization deficits

Abstract

This research was conducted on mature pomegranate (Punica granatum L. “Wonderful”) trees growing at a site located in North Coast, Matrouh Governorate, Egypt. The aim was to investigate the impacts of different irrigation regimes in combination with different fertilizer regimes on the fruit set, fruit retention, yield, and nutritional status of the trees. The experimental factors were arranged in a split-plot design, with four replicates per treatment combination. The results indicated that all of the characteristics measured, including leaves nutritional status, percentages of fruit set, fruit drop, fruit retention, fruit cracking, fruit sunburn, and marketable fruit, and yield were significantly affected by the interaction between the irrigation treatment which denoted by percentages of reference evapotranspiration (ETo) and fertilizer regime. The application of 75% mineral fertilizer + 25% organic manure under deficit irrigation of 80% ETo increased the yield by an average of 18.23% over the 2 years compared with 100% mineral fertilization under full irrigation, while 50% mineral fertilizer + 50% organic matter under 80% ETo gave the maximum percentage of marketable fruit (86.23% and 86.84% in 2018 and 2019, respectively). The maximum water use efficiency was obtained with the 80% ETo treatment combined with 75% mineral fertilizer + 25% organic manure in both seasons with values of 9.69 and 10.06 kg/m3 applied water, respectively. These results demonstrate that under the field conditions at the experimental site, the fruit set and retention could be improved by applying a reduced amount of mineral fertilizer in combination with organic manure and less irrigation water.

Co-application of mineral and organic fertilizers under deficit irrigation improves the fruit quality of the Wonderful pomegranate

“…Among the co-application treatments, the highest values for all parameters except acidity and TSS/acidity ratio were obtained with the 75% mineral + 25% organic fertilizer treatment. The organic fertilizer therefore seems to have directly and indirectly enhanced the physiochemical properties of the soil and the availability of nutrients ( Mahdy, 2012 ; Baghdadi et al, 2018 ; Abdel-Sattar et al, 2021 ). Similarly, Ray et al (2014) reported that the fruit of pomegranate plants treated with 300-g N + 1-kg neem cake per plant showed high TSS (12.29Bx), total sugar (10.74%), reducing sugar (9.78%), non-reducing sugar (1.09%), and ascorbic acid (21.93 mg 100 mL 1 juice) contents as well as low acidity (0.39%).…”

“…Few studies have assessed the effects of irrigation regimes on the nutritional aspects of pomegranate fruit, the physiological and production responses of pomegranate trees to water stress, or the effects of coapplying organic and mineral fertilizers under scarcity irrigation ( Holland, Hatib & Bar-Yaakov, 2009 ; Abdel-Sattar et al, 2021 ). Previous field studies in southeastern Spain have examined the effects of different deficit irrigation applications on yield performance ( Intrigliolo et al, 2013 ; Abdel-Sattar et al, 2021 ) and some fruit composition characteristics during fruit growth ( Mellisho et al, 2012 ). Recently, it was also shown that deficit irrigation in combination with organic manure/mineral fertilizer or organic manure alone could improve the marketable fruit of Wonderful pomegranate trees, which may be attributable to the organic manure reducing the water stress of the growing plants ( Abdel-Sattar et al, 2021 ).…”

“…Previous field studies in southeastern Spain have examined the effects of different deficit irrigation applications on yield performance ( Intrigliolo et al, 2013 ; Abdel-Sattar et al, 2021 ) and some fruit composition characteristics during fruit growth ( Mellisho et al, 2012 ). Recently, it was also shown that deficit irrigation in combination with organic manure/mineral fertilizer or organic manure alone could improve the marketable fruit of Wonderful pomegranate trees, which may be attributable to the organic manure reducing the water stress of the growing plants ( Abdel-Sattar et al, 2021 ).…”

Effect of Water-Fertilizer Coupling on the Growth and Physiological Characteristics of Young Apple Trees

“…In addition, water use efficiency (WUE), as an important measure of plant drought tolerance, depends on the coupled processes of photosynthesis and transpiration and can effectively respond to the water use strategy of crops [16]. Abdel-Sattar et al [17] showed that moderate deficit irrigation is beneficial to increasing pomegranate yield, commercial fruit percentage, and WUE. However, what level of irrigation can promote the growth of young apple trees under drip irrigation conditions still needs further research and study.…”