RATIONALIZING THE USE OF IRRIGATION WATER AND FERTILIZATION RATES TO PRODUCE SOME ECONOMICAL ORNAMENTAL PLANTS IN SANDY SOIL

Abstract

A field experiment which included three treatments of irrigation level (main plot) and three treatments of kristalon fertilizer (1,2,4gm) (sub plot)was carried out on plants of both seasons (tuberose bulbs) subjected to different levels of irrigation as follows (75, 100, and 125 %ET0), during the two seasons of 2011 and 2012. Locally produced bulbs were lifted from the soil on April 1st, before being divided and cleaned. Results obtained indicated that the low rate of irrigation (75%ET0) significantly increased plant height to 69-53 cm, when it was combined with kristalon at 1g. While increasing the kristalon rate to 4g.combined with the high rate of irrigation (125%ET0), it still gave significant increase in plant height comparing with the low rate (75% ET0) during the first and second seasons. However data of the kristalon treatments gave non-significant effect in the second season, comparing the all cases with each other. Probably, the low rate of irrigation gave the best value on number of leaves in both seasons .The increase of kristalon rate to 4g. resulted in increased of both the tallest leaf and the main number of leaves The two levels of irrigation (75and 100% ET0) had a non-significant effect on number of leaves. However, application the two levels of irrigation combined with the 2g of kristalon treatment gave the tallest spike of flowers,and significant increase in the florets number/ spike resulted with the decrease of kristalon level to 1gm The low levels of irrigation resulted an increase in the bulb numbers / subplot which reached significancy when it was combined with the low rate of kristalon (1gm) The concentrations of soluble and insoluble sugars in the leaves were increased with the low level of irrigation (75%ET0) when the leaves were analyzed at the end of the second season. In a separate field experiment,Jasminumgrandiflorum transplants were subjected to three treatments of irrigation (75, 100 and 125% ET0) and three treatments of kristalon fertilization rates (1, 2 and 4gm) for each added as one dose as the results revealed that the level of 100% ET0 gave the best values of plant height, number of shoots, number of flowers and the kristalon treatments improved the mastery in rising all plant parameters. Keywords: Polianthestuberosa, Jasminumgrandiflorum, drip irrigation, kristalon fertilizer, ET0 evapotranspiration rate,.