Two field experiments were conducted at the experimental farm station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Benha University, during early summer seasons of 2010 and 2011. This study is an attempt to improve vegetative growth, yield and fruits quality of sweet ananas melon plants using some natural extracts which non toxic, environmentally friendly , organic and costless .
Therefore, sweet ananas melon plant (Cucumis melo var. reticulatus cv. Rodin hybrid) ‘Ananas’, were sprayed with yeast extract at 50 and 100 ml/L; amino acids at 2 and 4 ml/L and Seaweed extract at 1.5 and 3 ml /L after 25 days from sowing . Treatments were done separately. spraying was repeated 4 times with intervals of 10 days after the first one.
The results showed that, significant increase was existed in many morphological characteristics as stem length and diameter, number of formed branches and leaves /plant, fresh and dry weight of both stems and leaves, total leaf area /plant and specific leaf weight as well with all applied treatments at 60 days after sowing during the two seasons. Also, the yeast extract at 100 ml/L increased the number of branches /plant nearly two times of the control value.
Moreover, the used treatments were highly increased concentration of chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids, minerals concentration ( N, P, K, Ca and Mg ) mg/g d.w and total sugars of ananas melon leaves at 60 days after sowing during the two seasons.
Also, different applied treatments were increased early and total fruit yield in term of number, weight of early and total fruits per plant. Furthermore, fruit content of minerals concentration (N, P, K, Ca and Mg ) mg/g d.w. , TSS and total sugars compared with those of the control. The yeast extract at 100 ml/L and amino acids at 4 ml/L were the most effective treatments compared with other treatments in this respect .
|
