MAXIMIZING CROP YIELD UNDER WATER AND SALT STRESS IN SINAI REGION

Abstract

Two field experiments were conducted during the spring season through two successive years, 2007 and 2008, at El-Shiekh Zowyeid Research Station, Desert Research Center to evaluate the effect of applying three rates of crop evpotranspiration (ETc) throughout three growth stages of tomatoes , individually and in combinations with selected twelve treatments of deficit irrigation and four levels of N and K fertilization rates on the yield production .some growth and quality parameters and some water requirements measures under water and fertilization stress of tomato (strain B, Lycopersicon esculentum L.) B. The applied treatments include: Three deficit irrigation doses (100, 80 and 60 % of crop water requirement) were applied through three plant growth stages (development, mid and late growth stages) as follow: I. D1 = Irrigation with 100 % ETc through the three growth stages. D2 = Irrigation with 100 % ETc through the development and late stages and irrigation by 80% ETc at mid stage. D3 = Irrigation with 100 % ETc through the development and late stage and irrigation by 60% ETc at mid stage. D4 = Irrigation with 100 % ETc through the development and mid sages and irrigation by 80% ETc at late growth stage. D5 = Irrigation with 80 % ETc at the development stage and irrigate by 100% through mid and late growth stages. D6 = Irrigation with 60 % ETc at the development and irrigate by 100% through mid- and late growth stages. D7 = Irrigation with 60 % ETc through the development and mid and irrigation with100% at late growth stage. D8 = Irrigation with 60 % ETc through the development and late and irrigation with 100% ETc at mid growth stage. D9 = Irrigation with 60 % ETc through the three growth stages.