Maximizing Fruit Quality and Quantity of Flame Seedless cv. Grapevine Using Natural Rocks and Effective Microorganisms

Abstract

This study was conducted during 2021and 2022 seasons on Five-year-old Flame seedless grapevines to look into the possibilities of employing natural rocks (rock phosphate and feldspar) and effective microorganisms (EM) under different application and concentration, and their combinations to reduce the amount of mineral fertilizers. Trees planted at 2 x 3 meter spacing grown in sandy soil under drip irrigation system. The results indicated that there is a possibility of using rock phosphate and feldspar, with effective microorganisms (EM) as a partial substitute of mineral fertilizers. As this study confirmed the optimum management strategy for attaining the maximum yield, enhancing the cluster's physical and chemical properties, and raising the mineral content of the leaves of Flame seedless grapevines was using the application of natural rocks with efficient microorganisms. Therefore, the most promising
treatment to improve the characteristics, both chemical and physical of clusters, and achieve the best yield was ¼ kg rock phosphate plus ½ kg feldspar with 150 ml EM, while the highest leaf minerals content was achieved by ½ kg rock phosphate plus 1 kg feldspar with 300 ml EM.