Search published articles
Showing 2 results for Gaaliche
Volume 25, Issue 4 (5-2023)
Abstract
Fig (Ficus carica L. cv. Sabz) fruit growth and development under rain-fed conditions differs from fig grown under irrigated conditions and responds differently to the growth regulators application. This study aimed to reveal how ethephon (0, 50, 100, 150, 200 mg L-1) and 2,4-D isopropyl ester (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg L-1) can accelerate fruit ripening in fig cv. ‘Sabz’. Fruits were sprayed three times by foliar application at 15-days intervals for two consecutive years. The highest fruit ripening percentage occurred with the second time that ethephon (200 mg L-1) was sprayed. Application of 100 mg L-1 ethephon increased the total soluble solids with the second and third foliar spraying. Ostiole cracking in dry fig fruits became most prevalent when applying 50 mg L-1 ethephon by the third foliar spraying. The highest carotenoid content was caused by 100 mg L-1 ethephon by the second foliar application. Furthermore, the highest sugar content occurred in response to the second foliar spraying of 50 mg L-1 ethephon. The second 2,4-D isopropyl ester (10 mg L-1) foliar spraying significantly increased fruit diameter. Since the crop has asynchronous nature of ripening, harvesting continued for several weeks. Ethephon (200 mg L-1) accelerated fig harvesting and made it occur about 7 days sooner under rain-fed conditions. Therefore, accelerating fig fruits ripening can reduce the likelihood that fruits will be exposed to drought near the end of the season. Also, ethephon treatment can help prevent loss of fruit quality.
Volume 26, Issue 3 (5-2024)
Abstract
Fruit yield and quality in fig (Ficus carica L.) are highly influenced by mineral nutrition, especially Calcium (Ca) and potassium (K). In this study, the impact of soluble potassium sulfate (K2SO4) foliar application on yield, fruit quality, and leaf nutrient content was assessed during three consecutive years (2017- 2019) on fig cv. ‘Bouhouli’ grown in Northwest Tunisia. Potassium sulfate was sprayed at 2% concentration on leaves of ‘Bouhouli’ trees twice each year during fruit development. This improved fruit weight by 29.5% and 34.9% in the first and second years, respectively, while yield and fruit quality were improved in 2018 only. The fruit ostiole-end cracking, which is one of the fruit quality criteria, was reduced under potassium treatment by 3-fold (17%) compared to the control (53%), in 2018. Also, potassium treatment increased significantly the content of total soluble solids in the fruits during the first two seasons. Besides, K leaf concentration significantly increased after the 2% K2SO4 treatment in 2018 and 2019. These results suggest that potassium sulfate foliar sprays could be used as part of an efficient and sustainable fertilizer program to improve fig tree yield and fruit quality.
