Enhancing yield and fruit quality of date palm (Phoenix dactyllifera L., cv. Zaghloul) using nitrogen and potassium nano-fertilizer

Abstract: The present investigation was carried out during two successive seasons of 2018 / 2019 and 2019/ 2020 on 15 years old date palm trees of Zaghloul cv. grown in sandy soil in a private orchard at El-Behira governorate, Egypt. The research was aimed to investigate the effect of nitrogen and potassium nano-fertilizers comparing with conventional mineral fertilizers on yield and fruit quality, four doses of nitrogen and potassium nano-fertilizer (75, 150, 300 and 600g/ palm/ year) were applied compared to the conventional nitrogen and potassium mineral fertilizers as a control. Different fertilization treatments significantly affected palm yield and fruit quality during both seasons. Treatment of 600g of nano N and K fertilizers produced higher values of tree yield and bunch weight, fruit volume, and fruit length in both seasons. Meanwhile, 600g of nano-fertilizer and control treatments gave the highest fruit and flesh weight. The obtained results also showed fruit content of total soluble solids, total and reducing sugars was significantly increased by nano-fertilizer treatment at 600 and 300g per palm and improved significantly N, P, and K content. Whereas treatment with 75 and 150g nano-fertilizer gave higher values of total tannins and total phenols contents in Zaghloul fruits in both seasons. According to the current study, nano-fertilizer improved date palm yield, fruit quality and nutritional status.