EFFECT OF ASCORPIC ACID FOLLIAR APPLICATION AND CHELATED IRON ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF TWO EGGPLANT HYBRIDS (SOLANUM MELONGENA L.)

Abstract

The experiment was conducted during season 2015/2016 at AL-qurna , north of Basrah. The aim was to study the effect of foliar application of ascorbic acid and chelated iron on some vegetative growth, flowering and yield of two eggplant hybrids .The study included ten factorial treatments and interaction with two hybrid eggplant cultivar, "Barcelona" and" Marshall" and five treatments; Ascorbic acid at (60 and 120) mg l-1 and Chelated iron at (300 and 600) mg l-1. Randomized complete Block Design was used with three replicates. Results was tested at probability of 5%. Result showed the hybrid Barcelona had significantly on vegetative growth, flowering and yield and its components. Result showed that were a superior effect for foliar application of ascorbic acid at 60 mg l-1 increasing of plant height, leaves number plant-1, percentage of fruits set, weight of fruit, percentage of carbohydrate of fruit and total plant yield per unit area (98.25 cm, 73.12 leaves, 77.87%, 16.51fruits, 256 g, 50.80 mg g-1 and 4.226 kg) respectively. While chelated iron spraying at 600 mg l-1 was significant increase in number of flower, percentage of protein in fruit, dry material percentage and ascorbic acid per unit area 22.99,15.13%, 12.24% and 7.01 mg 100g-1, respectively. Foliar application of Ascorbic acid at 120 mg l-1 decreased phenol percentage in fruits. The interaction between the two factors caused significant effect in all studied parameters.