Effect of Some Treatments on Cracking and Fruit Quality of Manfalouty Pomegranate Fruits

Author : El- Bolok, T. Kh.; Hala, N. M. Nassar and Madlen, R. Sawarsan

This investigation was carried out during the two successive seasons 2022 and 2023 on 10 years old Manfalouty pomegranate trees (Punica granatum L.) grown in a private orchard located at Sahel Selim district, Assiut Governorate, Egypt. The aim of this research was to investigate the effect of foliar application of nature oils such as jojoba oil at (2 and 3 %) and olive oil at (2 and 3 %), determine their effectiveness, and compare them with the chemical substances such as calcium boron at (1.5 and 3 %) and potassium silicate at (1.5 and 3 %) to increase the productivity and fruit quality especially reducing cracking and sunburn percentage of Manfalouty pomegranate fruits. The treatments were done at three application times; after fruit set (mid-May), in mid-June and mid of August. Results indicated that foliar application of calcium boron, potassium silicate, jojoba oil and olive oil significantly increased yield and fruit quality of Manfalouty pomegranate trees. The superior treatments were foliar application with potassium silicate at 3 % and calcium boron at 3 % in increasing the yield and fruit quality as well as decreasing the percentage of fruit cracking and sunburn percentage of 'Manfalouty' pomegranate trees. Foliar application of potassium silicate at 3 % treatment increased total soluble solids, Vitamin C and reduced sugars as well as decreased fruit juice acidity compared with the control in both seasons.

Keywords : Manfalouty pomegranate, calcium boron, potassium silicate, jojoba oil, olive oil, yield, cracking fruits, fruit quality,

Received:10/2/2023 12:00:00 AM; Accepted: 11/15/2023 12:00:00 AM