Bio fertilizers are becoming more and more popular as a way to
increase soil fertility and productivity by supplying nutrients. So,
the experimental farm of the Horticultural Department, Moshtohor
Fac. of Agric., Benha Univ was the site of two field experiments
through the two summer seasons of 2022 and 2023 to examine the
effect of mineral or/and bio nitrogen fertilizers as soil adding with
some growth stimulants, i.e, seaweed extract, potassium citrate and
calcium acetate as leaves spraying on vegetative growth, chemical
composition of plant foliage, yield productivity and fruit quality of
pumpkin plant. In this experiment, 16 treatments were used, and
they were by the multiplying between 4 mineral-N fertilizer, i.e.,
T1- 100% RDN (Recommended dose of Nitrogen), T2- 80% RDN
+ Bio fertilizer, T3- 60% RDN + Bio fertilizer, and T4- 40% RDN
+ Bio fertilizer and 4 foliar spray treatments, i.e., potassium citrate
at 3 g/l, seaweed extract at 2 g/l and calcium acetate at 2 g/l
comparing water.
Results showed that adding bio fertilizer and reducing mineral
application rate by 20 % of recommended dose significantly gave
the highest vegetative growth characteristics and fruit yield traits
through two seasons were compared with 40% RDN + Bio
fertilizer. In addition, spraying the plants with SWE at 2 g/l gave
the highest significant values of these traits. As for the effect of the
interaction, results revealed that fertilizing the pumpkin plants with
(80%RDN. + Bio fertilizer) combined with foliar spray with SWE
at2 g/l three time reflected the highest values of determined
vegetative growth and fruit yield and its quality traits. |
