The beneficial effects of overhead shading net on fruit cracking control, productivity and quality of pomegranate fruits
Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: A field experiment was carried out during 2020 and 2021 seasons to examine the effects of different overhead shading net colors (white and blue) on fruit cracking percentage, productivity, leaf chlorophyll and leaf mineral content, also fruit quality of M 116 pomegranate trees grown under sandy soil conditions compared with the farm treatment (coving fruits with Kraft paper) and the untreated trees (control). The obtained results showed that shading pomegranate trees with blue or white net significantly increased number of fruits per tree, the total yield (kg), fruit weight (g) and reduced fruit cracking percentage when compared with the control and farm treatments. Blue and white colors surpassed the other treatments including the untreated trees in the most parameters under investigation. Finally, it could be recommended that shading pomegranate trees with blue followed by the white one are beneficial for maintaining good fruit quality with high yield. Additionally these treatments reduced the fruit cracking percentage compared with the other ones.
Institution: National Research Centre
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4383040745