Effect of Foliar Application of Sitofex, Potassium and Arginine on Vegetative Growth of “Zaghinia” Apricot Trees

Abstract

Abstract The experiment was carried out at the Agricultural Research and Experiments Station in Al-Sayada site of the College of Agriculture / University of Kirkuk / Republic of Iraq, during the 2020 growing season, on six-year-old “Zaghinia” apricot trees to study the effect of foliar spraying with three concentrations of Sitofex growth regulator (0 and 7.5 and 15 mg L−1), two concentrations of potassium sulfate (0 and 3000 mg L−1) and three concentrations of amino acid (Arginine) (0, 250 and 500 mg L−1). The spraying was carried out a week after the full blooming stage, followed by two sprays with an interval of three weeks. The results indicated that spraying with 15 mg L−1 of Sitofex or spraying with 3000 mg L−1 of potassium sulfate led to a significant increase in all the studied characteristics (length and diameter of shoots, leaf area, total chlorophyll content and dry weight of leaves). As for spraying with amino acid “Arginine”, the foliar spray of 500 mg L−1 treatment gave a significant increase in the length and diameter of shoots, leaf area and its total chlorophyll content. Bilateral and triple interference treatments had a significant effect on most of the studied characteristics.