Morpho-physiological parameters, nutritional status and water use efficiency of Zebda mango in relation to biochar...

Irrigation water conservation techniques are an effective tool for maximizing irrigation water utilization, especially in coarse sandy soils under semi-arid conditions. Therefore, the objective of this research was to investigate the impacts of soil application of biochar (BC) at 7, 14 kg tree^- 1, hydrogel (HD) at 50-100 g tree^- 1 and without application (control) on the morpho-physiological, nutritional status and productivity of Zebda mango trees during two seasons. Results indicated that, soil application of 14 kg BC tree^- 1, followed by 100 g HD tree^- 1 was more effective in enhancing growth and fruit yield. BC at rate of 14 kg tree^- 1 increased number of leaves by a percentage reached to 22.27 and 32.05%, leaves area by 18.51 and 18.51, shoot length by 21.19 and 17.95% and chlorophyll content by 81 and 51%, while it decreased leaves proline content by 9.15 and 13.78% compared to the control in the first and second seasons, respectively. Moreover, 14 kg BC increased leaf N concentration by 42.98 and 27.2%, leaf P by 75 and 47.62%, leaf K by 5% and 9.64% and leaf Mg by 27 and 6% compared to the control in the first and second seasons, respectively. Also, it improved the percentage of final fruit set by 50% and 38.09%, number of fruit by 29.47% and 22.19%, fruit weight by 20.46% and 12.76%, and increased both fruit yield and water use efficiency by 55.98 and 37.79%, while it decreased fruit drop by 2.79 and 2.16% compared to the control in the first and second seasons, respectively. Furthermore it increased the percentage of TSS by 17.09% and 18.27%, titratable acidity by 21.43% and 12.63%, ascorbic acid by 23.56% and 18%, and total sugars by 27.92% and 3.19% compared to the control in the first and second seasons, respectively.