Articles
Alleviation of drought stress on rainfed fig (Ficus carica L.) trees in Egypt using the foliar application of ascorbic and citric acids
Article number
1310_36
Pages
235 – 242
Language
English
Abstract
Fig (Ficus carica L.) is one of the most important horticultural crops in the Mediterranean region.
Prolonged drought usually occurs during the vegetative period, which has a severe impact on crop quantity and quality.
Different mechanisms have been developed by the tree to tolerate drought stress, to grow under severe water stress conditions and to improve its ability to recover.
A field experiment was conducted in a private orchard farm in the Ras El Hekma region, Matrouh governorate, Egypt under rainfed conditions during the two seasons of 2017 and 2018. The study aims to investigate the influence of foliar application of ascorbic acid (AA; 0, 200 and 300 ppm) and aitric acid (CA; 0, 200 and 300 ppm) on some growth parameters and yield of fig under drought conditions.
Foliar application of AA and CA up to 300 ppm increased most of the studied characteristics: number of fruits, yield (kg tree‑1), fruit dimension and fresh and dry leaf weights.
Foliar application of AA and CA significantly enhanced all measured quality attributes.
These results suggest that foliar application of ascorbic and citric acids could be used as management practices for improving water stress tolerance of fig trees under severe drought conditions.
Prolonged drought usually occurs during the vegetative period, which has a severe impact on crop quantity and quality.
Different mechanisms have been developed by the tree to tolerate drought stress, to grow under severe water stress conditions and to improve its ability to recover.
A field experiment was conducted in a private orchard farm in the Ras El Hekma region, Matrouh governorate, Egypt under rainfed conditions during the two seasons of 2017 and 2018. The study aims to investigate the influence of foliar application of ascorbic acid (AA; 0, 200 and 300 ppm) and aitric acid (CA; 0, 200 and 300 ppm) on some growth parameters and yield of fig under drought conditions.
Foliar application of AA and CA up to 300 ppm increased most of the studied characteristics: number of fruits, yield (kg tree‑1), fruit dimension and fresh and dry leaf weights.
Foliar application of AA and CA significantly enhanced all measured quality attributes.
These results suggest that foliar application of ascorbic and citric acids could be used as management practices for improving water stress tolerance of fig trees under severe drought conditions.
Publication
Authors
Y.I. Mohamed, I.M. El-Berry
Keywords
Ficus carica, drought stress, ascorbic acid and citric acid
Groups involved
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