Improving Productivity of “Le-Conte” Pear Trees Grown in New Reclaimed Soils Using Natural Elements Mixture and Algae Extract

Abstract

THIS study was carried out at Benghazi private orchard located in Abu Ghaleb road at 164 kilometer from Cairo to Alex desert road, Giza, governorate Egypt during two seasons (2019 and 2020) on thirteen - year - old Le-Conte pear trees budded on Pyrus communis rootstock, planted at 3.5 × 4 meters apart grown in sandy soil under drip irrigation system (EC= 3.40 dS m−1). . The experiment was arranged in a spilt plot design, the main plots were represented by four levels of foliar application of Amphora coffeaeformis algae extract (AC1= 0, AC2= 250, AC3= 500 and AC4= 1000 ppm) and the sub plot were split by Natural Elements Mixture included three levels (NEM1= 0, NEM2 = 2.0 and NEM3 =4.0 kg/tree /year). Data revealed that, NEM2 (2.0 kg/tree/year) gave more or less similar values as those of level NEM3 (4.0 kg/tree/year) especially for yield, TSS, TSS/acid ratio, total sugars, N, K, Fe, zn and Mn leaf content. Meanwhile, yield, fruit chemical properties, macro & micronutrients and proline content were significantly increased gradually by increasing algae extract level up to 500 ppm. In the most cases the difference between AC (500 and 1000 ppm) was insignificant. Concerning the interaction, treatments (NEM2x AC3), (NEM2x AC4), (NEM3x AC3) and (NEM3x AC4) gave more stimulating effects on most characters. So, treatments (NEM2x AC3) or (NEM2x AC4) were sufficient for helping to alleviate salinity stress and gave the highest values of yield, fruit quality and nutritional status.