Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Winter application of foliar urea can promote some quantitative and qualitative characters of flower and fruit set of Valencia orange trees

Author(s):

S. Akbari Chermahini ¹, N. Moallemi ^1*, D. A. Nabati ², A. R. Shafieizargar ³

Recieved Date: 2010-11-11, Accepted Date: 2011-01-18

Abstract:

Fruit production and yield enhancement in Valencia orange (Citrus sinensis) is highly dependent on the number and intensity of flower buds per inflorescence on each individual tree. Research work has elucidated that exogenous application of fertilizer, in particular urea, can have a great impact on growth of these characters. This research was conducted to examine the effect of winter foliar application of urea on flowering and fruitset of 30-year-old ‘Valencia’ orange on sour orange rootstock in 2006-2007 at the Safiabad Agricultural Research Center of Dezful, Iran. Treatments included foliar sprays in 3 rates, 0, 0.5% and 1%, which confirm none, 7.6 and 15.2 kg N/ha from urea, respectively, and 2 application periods, 6 and 9 weeks before full bloom. Nitrogen percentage in leaf, flower number, ovary diameter and percentage of fruit set were altered positively due to urea treatments when compared to the control trees. Results showed that foliar spray of urea increased concentration of nitrogen within the leaves temporarily for a short period, when the site is confronted with low temperature in winter. The findings also indicated that urea is capable to increase the number of flowers, ovary diameter and fruit set. Spray of urea at 1% made significant effect on plant characters performance. Timing of applications altered plants growth with desirable influences on different plant characters. Spray of urea just 9 weeks before full bloom promoted more flowering formation, while 6 weeks before full bloom resulted in thicker ovary with higher percentage of fruit set compared to the control trees.

Keywords:

Nitrogen, flowering, fruit set, ‘Valencia’ orange

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 252-255

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