RESPONSE OF TWO ORNAMENTAL PALM GENERA TO SOME FERTILIZATION TREATMENTS

In a trial to improve the growth of two economic ornamental palms i.e. Butia capitata (Mart.) and Livistona decipiens (Becc.) at the early growth stages, an investigation was consummated throughout two successive seasons (2011 and 2012) at the nursery of Horticulture Research Institute, Giza, Egypt to study the effect of bioand chemical fertilization with different rates on growth and chemical constituents of the two ornamental palms. Two years old transplants of both palms were cultured on April, 1st in both seasons. The biofertilizer of phosphorene with different rates (2, 4 and 6 g/pot), the mixture of N, P and K (1:1:1) used at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 g/pot and the commercial product of Grow more at 0.5, 1.5 and 2.5 ml/l were used in both seasons. All of them were added at monthly interval commencing from May, 1st to October, 1st. The results emphasized that all fertilization treatments improved vegetative growth, root parameters and chemical constituent of leaves. However, the effect was differed according to the different treatments used. Applying phosphorene at 6 g/pot and Grow more at 1.5 ml/l gave the utmost high values of vegetative growth parameters of Butia capitata, whereas plants of Livistona decipiens treated with 4 g/pot phosphorene was the best in improving such parameters in the two seasons. Treating plants with either NPK at 3.5 g/pot or Grow more at 0.5 ml/l proved their superiority in raising root length and fresh and dry weight of roots for Butia capitata. Meanwhile, results of Livistona decipiens indicated that treating plants with phosphorene at the lowest rate (2 g/pot) was the best for improving root traits in most cases expressed as number of roots/plant and fresh and dry weights of roots. Chemical constituents of leaves were also affected by the different fertilization treatments. A clear increment in either chlorophyll (a) or carotenoids accumulation in leaves of Butia capitata was observed due to applying the highest rate of phosphorene (6 g/pot) and the lowest one of Grow more (0.5 ml/l). However, using Grow more at 0.5 ml/l gave also the utmost high value of chlorophyll (b) in leaves of the same species. For Livistona decipiens, applying Grow more at the lowest and moderate rates (0.5 and 1.5 ml/l) registered the highest values of chlorophyll (a) accumulation in the leaves. Meanwhile, using the lowest Grow more rate (0.5 ml/l) was the best for raising carotenoids content. Meanwhile, using the highest level of NPK (3.5 g/pot) proved its mastery in elevating chlorophyll (b) in the leaves. As for chemical constituents in leaves concerning Butia capitata, results revealed that using the lowest rate of phosphorene and NPK (2 g/pot and 1.5 g/pot, respectively), as well as the highest one of NPK (3.5 g/pot) beside the moderate and the highest rates of Grow more (1.5 and 2.5 ml/l, respectively) were the best treatments fo  raising N% in the leaves. Meanwhile, applying the lowest level of either NPK (1.5 g/pot) or Grow more (0.5 ml/l) gave the greatest values of N% in the leaves of Livistona decipiens. Also, P% revealed a positive influence as a result of treating Butia capitata plant with Grow more at the highest rate (2.5 ml/l), whereas, P content in Livistona decipiens leaves was the highest by applying the moderate NPK rate (2.5 g/pot). In the same time, the moderate and the highest rates of phosphorene (4 and 6 g/pot) and the highest one of NPK (3.5 g/pot) were the best treatments used for elevating K% in Butia capitata leaves. Meanwhile, treating plants with phosphorene at 2 g/pot and Grow more at 0.5 ml/l and 2.5 ml/l succeeded to produce the highest accumulation rate of K% in Livistona decipiens leaves. In addition, treating plants with the highest phosphorene rate (6 g/pot) proved its superiority for elevating total carbohydrates content in the leaves of either Butia capitata or Livistona decipiens palms. From the aforementioned results, it could be recommended to use either phosphorene at 4-6 g/pot or Grow more at 0.5-1.5 ml/l for improving quality and growth traits of the two genera of palms used in this work.