Influence of Spraying Kalmata and Picual Olive Trees with GA(3) and ZnSO4 on Leaf Nutrient Status and Chlorophyll Content

This work was performed to study the effect of spraying Kalamata & Picual olive trees with Zn sulfate (0.0, 0.5 and 1.0 %) and GA3 at (0, 20 and 40 ppm) on some leaf nutrient and chlorophyll content. Data reveal that applying zinc sulfate at the two tested concentration 0.5 & 1.0 % enhanced the leaf N, K, Mg, Fe Zn and Mn content of the two olives, cultivars while the leaf P content was not affected. Moreover, the GA3 at 20 and 40 ppm sprays tended to increase the leaf N, K, Zn content of the two cultivars and this increase reached the significant level in some cases. Treatments seemed to have a very limit effect in leaf P percentage. On the other hand, the leaf Fe, Mn and chlorophyll content differed from cultivar to other. In this respect, the GA3 sprays (20 & 40 ppm) significantly increased the values of leaf Fe, Mn & chlorophyll on the Kalamata cultivar than that of the control an opposite result was noticed in the Picual one. Leaves from Kalamata trees receive the GA3 at 40 ppm coupled with Zinc sulfate at 1 % showed the higher leaf mineral content, whereas leaves of trees received zinc sulfate at 0.5% either alone or coupled with 20 ppm GA3 showed the highest values of chlorophyll a & b. On the other hand, leaves of Picual trees sprayed with zinc sulfate at 1% exhibited the higher percentage of most studied nutrient and chlorophyll content.