Effect of Charcoal and Humic Acid on Vegetative Growth, Flowering and Fruit Quality of Almond Trees

Abstract

The present research was investigation during two successive seasons of 2021 and 2022 at private rainfed almond grove at Marsa Matrouh Governorate, Egypt. Twelve years old almond trees budded on Bitter almond rootstock grown in sandy loam soil. To study the effect of charcoal as soil applications at 500, 1000 and 1500g/tree/year and humic acid as soil applications at 25, 50 and 75g/tree/year as well as their combinations on vegetative growth, leaf nutrients content and productivity. The obtained results showed that applications of charcoal, humic acid and their combinations induced a pronounced improvement in vegetative growth characteristics; shoot length increase, number of shoots/branch, number of leaves/shoot, leaf area and leaf chlorophyll content. Moreover, these applications enhancement the nutritional status of trees leading to significant increases in fruit set, yield as well as an improvement in fruit quality. Finally, it is preferable to add charcoal at 1500g/tree/year plus humic acid at 75g/tree/year as a soil application with winter horticultural practices before the rains fall to enhance vegetative growth characteristics, leaf nutrients content, yield and kernel quality of almond trees under those conditions.