RESPONSE OF MANGO TREES TO APPLICATION OF MAGNETITE, NATURAL MIXTURE COMPOUND AND SELENIUM UNDER DRIP IRRIGATION SYSTEM IN SANDY SOIL

Abstract

A study was carried out during two successive years, 2013 and 2014 on seven years old mango trees (Mangifera indica L) Keitt cv. budded on seedling rootstock planted at 2.5 x 2.5 m in sandy soil under drip irrigation system. The experiment was conducted at a private farm, newly reclaimed land, located at Badr City, South Al-Tahrir, Al-Behaira Governorate, Egypt. The study involved two independent experiments as follows: 1- The first experiment: Effect of Magnetite Soil Application and Selenium Foliar Spray on Keitt Mango Trees Grown under Drip Irrigation System in Sandy Soil. This experment aimed to study the effect of three magnetite (Mag.) levels (0, 125 and 250 g./tree /year) as soil application and four selenium (Se) levels (0, 5, 10 and 20 ppm) as foliar spray on vegetative growth, yield, fruit quality, leaf mineral content and fruit mineral content of mango trees (Keitt cv.). The experiment was arranged in randomize complete block design with four replicates. Results indicated that, treatment (Mag. at 250 g./tree and Se at 5 ppm) gave the highest yield/tree, fruit weight, total soluble solids, reducing sugars, leaf N, P, K, and Fe content as compared to the control treatment which gained the lowest values. In addition, the same treatment gave the lowest leaf Na, Cl and B content as compared with the control which had the heights values. On the other hand, treatment (Mag. at 250 g./tree and Se at 20 ppm) gave the highest leaf selenium contents. Also, treatment (Mag. at 250 g./tree and Se at 5 or 20 ppm) had the highest proline content.