Effect of Spraying Seaweed Extract Kelpak and NPK Fertilizer on Nitrogen , Phosphorus , Potassium and Total Protein Concentrations of Leaves and Fruits of Phoenix dactylifera L. , CV. Barhi

Abstract

The present study was conducted in a private orchard at Abi El-Khassib District , Basrah Governorate during the growing season of 2012 on date palm trees "Phoenix dactylifera L." cv. Barhi aged 15 years old to investigate effect of spraying seaweed extract "kelpak" at concentrations of (0 , 8 and 16 cm3.L-1) and NPK fertilizer at concentrations of (0 , 4 and 8 gm.L-1) and their combinations on nitrogen , phosphorus , potassium and total protein concentrations of leaf and fruit . Results showed that spraying treatment of 16 cm3.L-1 kelpak recorded significant increases in phosphorus and potassium concentrations of leaf at Kimri stage , nitrogen and phosphorus and potassium and total protein concentrations of fruit at all stages of growth and ripening . Spraying treatment of 8 cm3.L-1 kelpak significantly increased nitrogen and total protein concentrations of leaf and fruit at Kimri stage . Spraying treatment of 8 gm.L-1 NPK recorded significant increases in nitrogen and phosphorus and potassium and total protein concentrations of leaf at Kimri stage and of fruit at all stages of growth and ripening . The bi-combination of spraying kelpak at 16 cm3.L-1 and NPK at 8 gm.L-1 recorded significant increases in nitrogen and phosphorus and potassium and total protein concentrations of leaf at Kimri stage and of fruit at all stages of growth and ripening . The bi- combination of 8 cm3.L-1 kelpak and 8 gm.L-1 NPK significantly increased nitrogen and total protein concentrations of fruit at Kimri stage