Influence of different calcium sources foliar spray on growth, yield and some biochemical changes of eggplant

Abstract

The impacts of the individual foliar spray with different calcium sources, such as calcium superphosphate, calcium sulphate, calcium nitrate and calcium chloride at 2 g/l for each source equal 3.96, 5.81, 6.1 and 9.09 mM Ca+2 , respectively at 40 and 50 days from transplanting, on the growth, yield and some biochemical changes of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) cultivated during the summer seasons of 2017 and 2018 were studied. The results indicated that foliar application with calcium treatments significantly stimulated the most of the vegetative growth characteristics, super oxide dismutase (SOD) activity, improved photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b, total chlorophylls and total carotenoids) and increased the total fruits yield as compared with the control plants. In contrast, spraying different calcium sources reduced the concentration of total soluble proteins and free amino acids in eggplant leaves as compared with the check plants. The superiority of foliar spray with calcium superphosphate (3.96 mM Ca+2) gave the highest values of plant height, number of leaves and branches per plant, leaf area, leaf fresh and dry weights, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruits number per plant, fruits yield per plant and fruits yield per feddan as well as recorded the highest values of total carbohydrates, SOD activity, Cu concentration in leaves, N, P, Mg, Ca, Fe, Mn, Cu and Zn concentration in fruits as compared with the check plants and other calcium sources.