Effect of foliar spray of urea and Potassium Citrate on fruiting of Barhee Date palm

The objective of the present study is to investigate the promotive effect of spraying Barhee date palm bunches with urea and potassium citrate on yield and fruit physical and chemical characteristics. The present study was carried out during 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons on 20 years old date palm grown in Agricultural research station farm that located at Kom Ombo, Aswan Governorate, Egypt. Inflorescences were sprayed with urea at 0.25 or 50% twice at 2 or 6 weeks of pollination. Also, bunches were sprayed with potassium citrate at 1 or 2% twice at 7 or 10 weeks of pollination. Spraying treatments were performed as urea or potassium citrate alone or combination of them, beside the control treatment (spraying with water only). The present results indicated that all spraying treatments significantly increased yield. Also, it improved fruit characteristics as compared with untreated palms. Spraying inflorescences with urea at 0.25 combined with potassium citrate at 1% were more effective treatments in increasing yield and improving physical and chemical properties of fruits.