Effect of Foliar Application of Biosimulated Nanomaterials (Calcium/Yeast Nanocomposite) on Yield and Fruit Quality of 'Ewais' Mango Trees

摘要

Poor fruit set in mango is consider the main problem that reduces the production. This study aims to raise fruit set, minimize the percentage of fruit drop, increase tree yield and improve fruit quality by providing the trees with biosimulated nano materials (calcium/yeast nanocomposite) as foliar application. Nanotechnology is generally used when referring to materials with the size of 0.1 to 100 nanometres (nm= 10-9). The chemically modified nano-materials (CMNM) such as Sol-gels was used in this study due to their unique stability in a pure form that characterize with strong position in nanotechnology. In this respect, 'Ewais' mango trees were treated with yeast and calcium / yeast nanoparticles as foliar application three times (at full bloom, two weeks after fruit set and one month after the second application). The treatments were as follows: (1) Yeast 1%. (2) Yeast 2%. (3) Yeast 3%. (4) Calcium / yeast nanoparticles 1%. (5) Calcium / yeast nanoparticles 2%. (6) Calcium / yeast nanoparticles 3%. (7) Control (spray water only). Where, the results of 2 on-year seasons were recorded. Results show that foliar application of calcium / yeast nanoparticles 1, 2 and 3% had a positive effect on growth, leaf mineral content, yield and fruit quality of 'Ewais' mango trees comparing with traditional yeast at the same concentration. The foliar application of calcium / yeast nanoparticles 3% three times is the promising treatment for increasing fruit set, reducing fruit drop, raising fruit retention, maximizing the yield and improving fruit physical properties (fruit weight, length, width, peel and pulp weight, and pulp/seed ratio) as well as chemical properties of mango fruits by increasing TSS. All of them achieve the highest marketing value.