Effect of spraying potassium and amino acids on the productivity of Barhee Date palm

The present study was carried out during 2020 and 2021 seasons on 20 years old Barhee date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) grown in Agricultural research station farm that located at Kom-Ombo, Aswan Governorate, Egypt. The objective of the study is to investigate the promotive effect of spraying Barhee date palm bunches with potassium silicate and amino acids on yield and fruit physical and chemical characteristics. Bunches were sprayed with potassium silicate at 0.50 or 1% and amino acid at 2 or 4% thrice at 4, 7 and 10 weeks of pollination. Spraying treatments were performed as potassium silicate or amino acid alone or combination of them, beside the control treatment (spraying with water only). Results indicated that all spraying treatments significantly increased yield and improved fruit physical and chemical characteristics as compared with untreated palms. Spraying bunches with potassium silicate at 0.5 or 1% singly or combined with amino acid at 2% were more effective treatments in increasing yield and improving physical and chemical properties of fruits. In addition, it minimized the harmful heat stress effects.