Growth and leaf mineral content of some fruit species seedlings as affected by a slow release nitrogen fertilizer.
Hassan H. S. A., Saleh M. M. S., El-Kader A. A. A.
Author Affiliation: Pomology Department, National Research Centre, Cairo, Egypt.
Research Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences 6 : 417-423
Abstract : Urea-formaldehyde (UF) (38% N) was used as a slow release nitrogen fertilizer on four fruit seedling species (grape, mango, banana and date palm) comparing with the traditional urea (46% N) to investigate the effect of using UF at the same or half dose of the traditional urea on growth parameters and leaf mineral content, also on the soil chemical properties. Results indicated that UF treatments either as full or half dose had a positive effect on vegetative growth parameters, also enhanced leaf mineral content in the leaves especially grape and date palm seedlings. Moreover, it is noticed that UF treatments increased the available forms of N, P and K in the soil of the four crops seedlings in comparing with the traditional urea.