Fallspray of Nitrogen, Zinc, and Boron and Their Effect on Fruit Set of Peach Trees

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Assistant Professor, Soil and Water Research Department, Mazandaran Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, AREEO, Sari, Iran

Abstract

In order to increase the storage of nitrogen, zinc and boron of peach trees and its effect on flowering and fruit set, an experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with seven treatments and four replications for three years (2015-2018) on 56 trees with the same age and size trees in the east of Mazandaran. Treatments included: 1) control, 2) Urea (10 gL-1), 3) Urea (10 gL-1) + Zinc sulfate (5 g.i-1), 4) Urea (10 g.l-1) + Zinc sulfate (5 g.l-1) + Boric acid (5 g.l-1), 5) Urea (15 gL-1) + Zinc sulfate (5 gL-1) + Boric acid (5 gL-1), 6) Urea (20 g.L-1) + Zinc sulfate (5 gL-1) + Boric acid (5 gL-1), and 7) Urea (25 g.L-1) + Zinc sulfate (5 gLl-1) + Boric acid (5 g.L-1).   The results showed that urea was quickly absorbed by leaves, so that nitrogen concentration in leaf tissue increased shortly after spraying. The measuring trend of nitrogen concentration at different times in foliar spray treatments showed that nitrogen concentration in leaf tissue increased initially and then began to decrease again. Therefore, in treatments 7, nitrogen concentration at 4, 24, and 48 hours after spraying increased from 2% before spraying to, respectively, 3.15%, 3.07%, and 2.06%. That indicates the absorption and then removal of nitrogen from the leaf tissue. Zinc concentrations in the leaves increased in all treatments by foliar spray of zinc sulfate, and this trend of absorption and increase of zinc concentration in the leaf tissue lasted for 48 hours after spraying. Boric acid foliar spray also increased the concentration of boron in the leaf tissue, such that the concentration of boron in the leaf tissue reached the maximum after 4 hours, and then decreased gradually. Results showed that fallspray treatments were effective in increasing fruit set and reducing abscising fruitlets, and this increase in fruit set was statistically significant. However, treatment seven that accelerated leaf loss had the highest effect on fruit formation, and was about 50% higher than the control. Therefore, to increase the fruit set and reduce the flower and fruitlets drops, applying treatment 7 in autumn, when 10-15% of the leaves are yellow, is recommended.

Keywords


  1. احیایی، مریم. 1375. روشهای تجزیه شیمیایی خاک. نشریه 1024. موسسه خاک و آب، تهران، ایران.
  2. اسدی کنگرشاهی، علی. 1398. مدیریت کوددهی درختان بارده مرکبات. انتشارات آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تهران، ایران.
  3. اسدی کنگرشاهی، علی. 1398. بررسی نقش کوددهی پاییزه (محلول‌پاشی) در افزایش ذخیره عناصر غذایی، تشکیل گل، میوه و کاهش مصرف کودها در اوایل فصل در درختان هلو. گزارش نهایی، شماره 56659، انتشارات موسسه تحقیقات خاک و آب، کرج، ایران
  4. اسدی کنگرشاهی، علی و نگین اخلاقی امیری. 1395. سرمازدگی درختان میوه (مبانی، اصول و راهکارهای عملی کاهش خسارت)، جلد اول. انتشارات آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تهران، ایران.
  5. اسدی کنگرشاهی، علی. و نگین. اخلاقی امیری. 1393. تغذیه پیشرفته و کاربردی مرکبات، جلد اول. انتشارات آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تهران، ایران.
  6. اسدی کنگرشاهی، علی. و نگین. اخلاقی امیری. 1393. تغذیه پیشرفته و کاربردی مرکبات، جلد دوم. انتشارات آموزش و ترویج کشاورزی، تهران، ایران.
  7. امامی، عاکفه. 1375. روش‌های تجزیه گیاه. جلد اول، نشریه شماره 982، موسسه تحقیقات خاک و آب، تهران، ایران.
  8. Bondada, B.R., Syvertsen, J.P. & Albrigo, L.G. 2001. Urea nitrogen uptake by citrus leaves. HortScience.36: 1061-1065.
  9. Bremmer, J.M. 1996. Total Nitrogen. P.1085-1122. In: D. L. Sparks et al. (eds.) Methods of soil analysis. American Society of Agronomy, Madison, WI.
  10. Brown, P.H. 2001. Transient nutrient deficiencies and their impact on yield-A rationale for foliar fertilizer. Acta Hort. 564: 217-223.
  11. Carranca, C., Brunetto, G. & Tagliavini, M. 2018. Nitrogen nutrition of fruit trees to reconcile productivity and environmental concerns. Plants. 7: 2-12.
  12. Cheng, L., S. Dong, and L.A. Fuchigami. 2002. Urea uptake and nitrogen mobilization by apple leaves in relation to tree nitrogen status in autumn. J. Hortic. Sci. Biotechnol. 77: 13-18
  13. Dong, S., L. Cheng, C.F. Scagel and L.H. Fuchigami. 2002. Nitrogen absorption, translocation and distribution from urea applied in autumn to leaves of young potted apple trees. Tree Physiology. 22: 1305-1310.
  14. Feller, U. 1990. Nitrogen remobilization and protein degradation during senescence. P. 195-222. In: Y.P. Abrol (eds.). Nitrogen in higher plants. Research Studies Press, Somerset England.
  15. Johnson, R.S., H.L. Amdris. 2001. Combining low biuret urea with foliar zinc sulfate sprays to fertilize peach and nectarine trees in the fall. ISHS Acta Horticulturae 564: IV International Symposium on Mineral Nutrition of Deciduous Fruit Crops.
  16. Johnson, R.S., Rosecrance, R., Weinbaum, S., Andris, H., Wang, J. 2001. Can we approach complete dependence on foliar applied urea nitrogen in an early- matering peach. J. Amer. Hort. Sci. 126: 364-370.
  17. Habib, R. 1995. Nitrogen partitioning and remobilization in apple trees. Ph.D Thesis, Oregon State University, December, 1995.
  18. Han, S., Tang, N., Jiang, H.X., Yang, L.T., Li, Y. & Chen, L.S. 2009. CO2 assimilation, photosystem II photochemistry, carbohydrate metabolism and antioxidant system of citrus leaves in response to boron stress. Plant Science. 176: 143-153.
  19. Hipps, N.A. and M.J. Davies. 2001. Effect of foliar zinc application at different times in the growing season on tissue zinc concentration, fruit set, yield and grade out of culinary apple trees. Acta Horticulturae. 564: 145-151.
  20. Mengel, K. 1992. Nitrogen: Agricultural productivity and environmental problems. P. 2-15. In: K. Mengel and D.J. Pilbeam (eds.). Nitrogen metabolism of plants. Oxford Press, New York.
  21. Mengel, K. and E.A. Kirkby. 1987. Principles of plant nutrition. 4th ed. International Potash Institute, Bern, Switzerland.
  22. Millard, P. 1995. Internal cycling of nitrogen in trees. Acta Hortic. 383: 3-14.
  23. Mills, H.A. and J.B. Jones. 1996. Plant analysis handbook II. MicroMacro Publ. INC.
  24. Peryea, F.J. 1994. Boron nutrition in deciduous tree fruit, p. 95-99. In: A.B. Peterson and R.G. Stevens (eds.). Tree fruit nutrition. Good Fruit Grower, Yakima, Wash.
  25. Rosecrance, R.C., R.C. Johnson, S.A. Weinbaum. 1998.Foliar uptake of urea by nectarine leaves. HortScience. 33: 158-162.
  26. Rosecrance, R.C., R.C. Johnson, S.A. Weinbaum. 1998b. The effect of timing of post-harvest foliar urea sprays on nitrogen absorption and partitioning in peach and nectarine trees. J. Hort. Sci. Biotechnol. 73: 856-861.
  27. Sanchez, E.E., H. Khemira, D. Sugar and T.L. Righetti. 1995. Nitrogen management in orchards. P. 327-380. In: P.E. Bacon (ed.). Nitrogen fertition in the environment. Marcel Dekher, Newyork.
  28. Sanchez, E.E. 1990. Nitrogen dynamics in field-grown “Comicepears. Ph.D Thesis, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR, USA.
  29. Sanchez, E.E., T.L. Rigetti, D. Sugar and P.B. Lombard. 1992. Effects of timing of nitrogen application on nitrogen partitioning between vegetative, reproductive and structural components of mature “Comice” pears. J. Hort. Sci.
  30. Sanchez, E.E., S.A. Weinbaum and R.S. Johnson. 2006. Comparative movement of labelled nitrogen and zinc in peach trees following late-season foliar application. Journal of Horticultural Science and Biotechnology. 81: 839-844.
  31. Sanchez, E.E. and T.L. Righetti. 2005. Effect of postharvest soil and foliar application of boron in apple trees. HortScience. 40: 2115-2117.
  32. Sanchez, E.E. and T.L. Righetti. 2002. Misleading zinc deficiency diagnosis in pome fruit and inappropriate use of foliar zinc spray. Acta Horticulturae. 594: 363-368.
  33. Stassen, P.J.C., H.W. Stindt, D.K. Strydom and J.H. Terblanche. 1981. Seasonal change in nitrogen fractions of young Kakamas peach trees. Agroplantae. 13: 63-72.
  34. Sugar, D., T.L. Righetti, E.E. Sanchez and H. Khemira. 1992. Management of nitrogen and calcium in pear trees for enhancement of fruit resistance to postharvest decay. HortTech. 2: 282-287.
  35. Thimann, K.V. 1980. The senescence of leaves. p. 85-115. In: Thimann (ed.), Senescence in plants. CRC Press, Bota Raton, FL.
  36. Titus, J.S., S. Kang. 1982. Nitrogen metabolism, translocation and recycling trees. Hortic. Rev. 4: 204-245.
  37. Tukey, R.B. 1985. Crop potential. Its development and protection. In: Pollination and Fruit Set. Shortcourse Proc. The Goodfruit Grower (ed.). pp. 19-35.
  38. Turkals, M., B. Inal, S. Okay, E.G. Eekilic, E. Dundar, P. Hernandez, G. Doredo and T. Unver. 2013. Nutrition metabolism plays an important role in the alternate bearing of olive tree. PLOS ONE. 8:1-15.
  39. Wojcik, P. 2006. Effect of postharvest spray of boron and urea on yield and fruit quality of apple trees. Journal of  Plant Nutrition. 29: 441-450.
  40. Wright, R.J. & T.I. Stuczynski. 1996. Atomic absorption and flame emission spectroscopy. In: Methods of Soil Analysis. Sparks, D.L. (Ed.), Part III, Chemical Methods, SSSA Book Series No.5, SSSA, Madison, WI. P. 65–91.
  41. Zubair, M., Banday, F.A., Baha, J.A., Rehman, M.V., Hussain, S.S. & Waida, U.I. 2017. Impact of foliar application of urea on fruit set, return bloom and growth of apple cv. Red delicious. Int. J. Curr. Microbial. App. Sci.6: 2123-2130.