EFFECT OF IRRIGATION INTERVALS, WHEAT STRAW MULCH, AND ALUMINUM SILICATE ANTI-TRANSPIRANT ON SOME VEGETATIVE GROWTH TRAITS OF EGGPLANT UNDER LOW PLASTIC TUNNELS IN EL- ARISH REGION

Document Type : Researches

Authors

1 plant production department,Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, North Sinai, Egypt

2 Plant Production Department, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, North Sinai, Egypt.

3 soil and water Department, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, North Sinai, Egypt.

Abstract

Field trials were conducted during winter seasons of 2020-21 and 2021-22 at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, North Sinai, Egypt. This study aimed to assess the impact of various irrigation intervals (daily, every two days, and every three days), the application of organic mulch (without or with crushed wheat straw mulch), and the use of foliar anti-transpirant (without or with aluminum silicate) on the growth of eggplant. Seedlings of cv. "Betra" were transplanted on October 20th and were irrigated using a drip irrigation system. Each plot measured 10.5m² (7 m in length and 1.5 m in width), with a plant spacing of 50 cm within rows, resulting in a planting density of 1.33 plants/m². Experimental treatments were arranged in a split-split plot design with three replications. The combination of irrigation every two days, the use of crushed wheat straw mulch, and the application of aluminum silicate anti-transpirant yielded the highest values for all measured growth parameters, including plant height, number of leaves/plant, leaf area/plant, and shoot dry weight, except for the chlorophyll a+b content in leaves during both sampling dates.

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