EFFECT OF KAOLIN AND CALCIUM CARBONATE SPRAYING ON THE PRODUCTIVIT OF KALAMATA AND MANZANILLO OLIVE TREES

Abstract

This study was carried out during two successive seasons (2015 and 2016) in a private orchard located at Ismailia governorate, Egypt. The study was conducted on 15 years old olive trees of Kalamata and Manzanillo cv., planted at 5 X 5 m apart grown in sandy soil, under drip irrigation, system and uniform in shape and received the common horticultural practices. The experiment was carried out to study the effect of sprayed kaolin and calcium carbonate each at 3, 5 and 7% in three different dates (mid October, November and December) compared with trees untreated on vegetative growth, leaf pigments and mineral content, flowering, fruit set, yield and fruit physical and chemical properties of Kalamata and Manzanillo olive trees. Results proved that spraying Kalamata cv. with Calcium Carbonate 7% on mid December was the promising treatment for good fruit set and improve yield and fruit quality. While, Manzanillo cv. spraying with calcium carbonate 7% on mid November was the promising treatment for good fruit set and improve yield and fruit quality compared with other treatment and control.