Impact of Mineral, Organic and Bio-Fertilizers on Leaf Mineral Contents, Bunch Characters and Yield of Zaghloul Date Palm

The experiment carried out in El Adlia, Blbas, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt during two successive seasons (2017 and 2018). This study was conducted to investigate the responses of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera, L.) cv Zaghloul, to nine different fertilizers treatments i.e. control (0.0 N), and full nitrogen dose (as recommended) shared between three sources of nitrogen i.e. mineral (N), organic (Org) and bio (M) forms and its various possible combinations. The results showed that fertilization treatments significantly affected leaf N, P and K percentages and led to increase bunch weight (kg) and yield/tree (kg) compared with control treatment. Bio-fertilization treatment registered the highest values of bunch weight and yield/tree and the least were recorded by the control treatment. Full N dose as mineral fertilizer gave the highest values of N percentage. The highest values P percentage obtained from the palms fertilized by halfN dose of both organic and mineral+ bio-fertilizers (EM). Meanwhile, the highest values of K recorded with the palms received quarter organic + 3/4 mineral forms. The lowermost values of N, P, and K percentages were recorded by unfertilized palms (control). Bio-fertilizer form improved number of strands/bunch and number of fruits/strands followed by full N dose as organic fertilizer+ bio-fertilizers (EM) in the first season and with bio-fertilization the second season. The least values of number strands/bunch, number of fruits/strands, strands length and length of place of fruit on strand recorded by the control treatment. Biofertilization treatment registered the highest values of bunch weight and yield/tree. Adversely the least values recorded by the control treatment, meanwhile other various combinations between N sources treatments were in between in this respect.