Response of Growth and Productivity of Murcott Tangarine Trees to Organic and NPK Fertilizers

A two-year investigation was conducted at the experimental farm of Sides Horticulture Research Station, Beni-Suef Governorate, Agriculture Research Center, Egypt, to test organic and NPK fertilizers on the growth, yield, and leaf mineral contents of Murcott Tangerine (Citrus reticulata, Blanco). The experiment included 10 treatments;T1 (100% Mineral NPK fertilizers), T2 (50 % of NPK fertilizer + 50 % yeast vinasse), T3 (50 % of NPK fertilizer + 50 % compost), T4 (50 % of NPK fertilizer + 25 % yeast vinasse + 25 % compost), T5 (25 % of NPK fertilizer + 75 % yeast vinasse),T6 (25 % of NPK fertilizer + 75 % compost), T7 (25 % of NPK fertilizer + 37.5 % yeast vinasse + 37.5 % compost), T8 ( 100% yeast vinasse ), T9 ( 100 % compost) and T 10 ( 50 % compost + 50 % yeast vinasse ). The application of compost and yeast vinasse and its combinations with NPK mineral fertilizers compared with mineral NPK only (control) led to a significantly increased vegetative growth, yield, fruit quality and leaf mineral contents. The highest fruit weight (181.66 g) and yield (72.86 kg/tree) as an average of both seasons were found at (T4). Greatest values of fruit physical and chemical properties were also found with (T4) in both seasonsto improve nodulation and plant growth of leguminous crops.