EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND POTASSIUM FERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, FLOWERING AND YIELD OF PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA PEPO L.) | ||||
| Journal of Plant Production | ||||
| Article 23, Volume 25, Issue 11, November 2000, Page 7067-7077 PDF (981.47 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jpp.2000.260097 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| M. N. Feleafel,1; S. M. Gabr2; I. M. Ghoneim,1 | ||||
| 1Dept. of Vegetable crop; Fac. of Agric., El-Shatby, Alex. Univ.Egypt. | ||||
| 2Dept. of Horticulture, Fac. of Agric., Damanhour, Alex. Univ.Egypt. | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Two field experiments were conducted during the summer seasons of 1995 and 1996 in the Agricultural Experimental Station, at Abies, Alexandria University, to study the effects of four N levels (0,30, 60 and 90 kg N fed.-1) and four K levels (0, 36, 72 and 108 kg K2o fed.-1) on vegetative growth, flowering, yield and mineral contents of pumpkin plants. The results, generally, indicated that increasing N applied rate up to Kg N fed.-1 promoted vegetative growth characters; i.e main stem length plant-1 average branch length, no. of leaves plant-1, average internode length and shoot fresh weight plant-1. Moreover, flowering traits; i.e no. of male and female flowers were increased as a result of increasing N up to 60 kg N fed.-1. However, number of nodes below the first five male and /or female flower decreased. The highest fruit set percentage was obtained from the highest N rate (90 kg N fed.-1). In addition, application of 60 kg N fed-1. was adequate to produce more number of marketable fruits fed.-1, larger fruit size and higher total yield fed.-1 leaf’s N and K contents, positively and significantly, reflected the amount of N applied level, however, leaf’s P content was not affected. The results showed that the intermediate K level of 72 kg K2O fed.-1, greatly improved some vegetative growth characters as well as fruit yield potential, number of marketable fruits fed.-1, average fruit weight and total yield fed.-1. Increasing K level led to a significant increase in leaf’s K and N contents. The interaction effect of N by K was significant on some of the studied traits. Application of 60 kg N fed.-1 in combination with 72 kg K2o fed.-1 seemed to be the most efficient and economical combination treatment which assure a better vegetative growth and a higher fruit yield of pumpkin plants. | ||||
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