Effect of Foliar and Ground Addition of Silicon Compounds on the Uptake of Some Nutrients, the Growth and Productivity of Apple Trees

Abstract

The aim of the research is to study the effect of the addition method of silicon compounds (foliar spray, ground addition) and the quality of silicon compounds (silicic acid, potassium silicate) on the absorption of some nutrients and on the growth, productivity and quality of fruits of apple trees.

The study was carried out in Sweida governorate because it enjoys producing the best types of apples in Syria. The experiment was carried out in two locations with different climatic and soil conditions (Umm Houran and Habran). The experiment was carried out with the design of fissile sectors, where the main pieces were distributed on the method of addition (foliar spray, ground addition) and the split pieces on the type of silicon compounds (silicic acid, potassium silicate) and the split pieces on the silicon concentration (0, 25, 50 ppm). ). Consequently, the number of transactions was 12, and in three replications, and the total was 36 trees in each site. The spraying treatments were distributed to four sprays at a two-week interval and in quantities commensurate with the shoot of the tree. The first spray begins a month after the beginning of the emergence of the leaves. While the addition of the ground was added at once around the tree at a distance of one meter from the center of the tree and at a depth of 15 cm at the end of the month of March.

The results showed that all the silicon treatments enhanced the physiological and productivity indicators of apple trees in both types of apple and in the two study areas. The ground addition coefficients outperformed the potassium silicate foliar spray coefficients, while the foliar application treatments outperformed the ground addition coefficients for silicic acid, in the average weight per unit area of apple tree leaves in the two study areas. The weight of the unit area of the leaves of the apple trees also increased with the increase in the concentration of the added silicon, whether by foliar spray or by ground addition, and this increase was reflected in the productivity of apple trees, which was observed through the high correlation between the average unit area weight of the leaves with the average productivity of apple trees in both types. Apple and in the two study areas. The ground addition coefficients outperformed the foliar application coefficients for the silicon compounds in the average fruit weight and the productivity of apple trees in the two study areas, while the foliar application coefficients outperformed the ground addition coefficients for the silicon compounds in the average number of fruits for apple trees in the two study areas. All silicon treatments enhanced the concentration of nutrients and some quality indicators of apple tree fruits in both types of apples and in the two study areas. The ground addition coefficients outperformed the foliar spray treatments for silicon compounds in the concentration of nutrients and the percentage of dissolved solids content in the fruits of apple trees for both types of apples in the two study areas. The silicic acid treatments outperformed the potassium silicate treatments in the concentration of some nutrients and the percentage of titratable acids in the fruits of apple trees for both types of apples in the two study areas. The concentration of nutrients and some quality indicators of apple trees' fruits increased in both types of apples and in the two study areas, with an increase in the concentration of added silicon, either by foliar spray or by ground addition, as this increase was reflected by the increase in the weight of the unit area of apple tree leaves, which was observed from Through the high correlations between the average weight per unit area of leaves with the concentration of nutrients and some quality indicators of the fruit of apple trees in both types of apples and in the two study areas.

Therefore, it is suggested to add silicic acid in the soil at once around the tree at a distance of 1 m from the center of the tree and at a depth of 15 cm at the end of March at a concentration of 50 mg / kg, which is about 28 g of silicon. In the event of a lack of money, it is suggested to spray the apple trees with silicic acid at a concentration of 50 mg / l. Four sprays at an interval of two weeks and in quantities commensurate with the shoot of the tree. The first spray begins a month after the beginning of the emergence of the leaves.