Effect of spraying with Tecamin Algae and NPK fertilizer on the growth of pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) seedlings cv. California wonderful

Abstract

This study was carried out in the lath house of the Department of Horticulture and Landscape at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kufa for the period from 1st March to 1st December, 2015. The experiment was conducted on six months old pomegranate seedlings (Wonderful cultivar) in order to study the effect of spraying with Tecamin Algae with four concentrations (1, 2, 3 and 4) ml.l-1 and NPK fertilizer at 100, 200, 300 and 400 kg.ha-1. The treatments were examined separately and overlapping. The results showed that spraying the seedlings with the treatments and their interactions caused a significant increase in seedling length and its diameter, number of leaves, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of vegetative shoot, and total chlorophyll of leaves. The treatment of interference between the marine algae extract (4 ml.l-1) and NPK fertilizer (400 kg.ha-1) was superior by obtaining the highest values of all traits compared with control treatment. It can be concluded from this study that a balanced fertilization management that combines the use of chemical, organic or bio-fertilizers must be developed and evaluated with different plants and under different cultivation system.