EFFECT OF IRRIGATION LEVELS AND FOLIAR SPRAYING WITH SEAWEED EXTRACT, POTASSIUM SILICATE AND ABSCISIC ACID ON GROWTH, CORM YIELD AND QUALITY OF TARO

Abstract

The field experiment was established at the experimental farm of the Horticultural Research Station of Barrage, Qalyubia Governorate during 2014 and 2015 growing seasons to evaluate the impact of irrigation levels i.e.,120, 100, 80 and 60% of the evapotranspiration (ETc) and stress alleviation substances (seaweed extract, potassium silicate and abscisic acid against control treatment) on growth, corm yield and quality of taro (Colocasia esculenta cv. Balady), with a particular attempt to establish irrigation water strategy for taro cultivation. The results indicated a reduction in plant growth and corm yield as well as quality due to minimizing irrigation level from 120 to 60% ETc. But the highest water use efficiency (WUE) was obtained with 80% irrigation level. Seaweed extract showed a superior enhancement in all measured vegetative, yield and quality parameters followed by potassium silicate compared to abscisic acid or control. Seaweed extract heightened the WUE compared to other substances. Results concluded that using 80% irrigation level accompanied by spraying plants with seaweed extract led to a mild reduction in the plant growth, yield and quality but conferred the higher WUE compared to other interactive treatments.

Keywords

• taro
• vegetative growth
• deficit irrigation
• stress alleviation substances
• seaweed extract
• potassium silicate
• abscisic
• corm yield
• water use efficiency