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Abstract The present investigation has been carried out during the successive two seasons of 2010 and 2011 on Valencia orange trees (169 tree / fed.) budded on sour orange rootstock and grown in a newly reclaimed area with loamy sand soil. The concerned citrus grove was at El- Kassasin Horticulture Research Station farm, in Al-Ismaillia Governorate. Sixty three, fifteen years old, trees were used in this investigation. The trees were equally shared between 7 treatments, which were three treatments represented studied the effect of biofertilization application and anther three treatments represented studied the effect of foliar spraying with antioxidant plant extracts , and control treatment shared between both studies. Each treatment was represented by 9 trees. (A)Biofertilization treatments: The first experiment was consists of three treatments T1(Nitrobein+Phosphorein+Potassein), T2 (Nitrobein+Microbein+Potassein) T3 (Microbein+Phosphorein+Potassein) T4- control treatment. The dose and time ofapplication with tested materials was as follow; Nitrobein: Dose of application; 300g/4L water/ tree. Microbein: Dose of application; 150 g/ 2Lwater/tree . Phosphorein: Dose of application; 150 g/tree . The three tested materials were mixed with soil and distributed (inoculated soil) in trench 30 cm depth around the periphery of the tree canopy. The time of application was three times; Feb., June. and august. Potassein: Dose of application, one liter potassein (30%K2O +10 %P2O5) per 400 liters water/ 15 trees. Time of application as follows: the first spray was before flowering, the second after fruit set and the third at fruit mature stage . (B)Antioxidant treatments: Roselle Extract (Hibiscus sabdariffa, L.) : Preparation of plant extract solution: 250g grounded mature leaves were boiled 15min. in 2L of water then filtered to obtain stock solution extract. Dose of application: stock solution extract added to 20 L of water to obtained the foliar spray solution which distributed on 4trees (5L/tree). Preparation of stock solution extract: 250g of grounded roots and rhizomes were suspended in water 48h then filtered to obtained stock solution extract. Dose of application: the resulted stock solution extract was added to 20L of water and used for spraying of 4 trees (i.e. 5L/tree). Cinnamon Extract: (Cinnamomumverum) Preparation of stock solution extract: 250g of grounded bark of cinnamon plant were suspended in water 48h then filtered to obtained stock solution extract. Dose of application: the resulted stock solution extract was added to 20L of water and used for spraying 4 trees (i.e. 5L/tree). The time of application for three plant extracts were in the same time,in three sprays, as following stages: before fruit set, at full bloom and at fruit mature stage Conclusively, obtained results showed positive effects of experimental treatments on Valencia orange trees under investigation following the soil application of some biofertilizers combinations treatments or using foliar spraying with plant extracts as for Roselle, Cinnamon and Ginger as follow. (A)Concerning of biofertilizers treatments: Data appeared promising effects and significant increases by treatment (Microbein +Phosphorein+Potassein) .This treatment was leading in this respect and occupied the first rank and significantly improved the follows features: as for yield and fruit components (fruit set, fruit weight , fruit dimensions ,juice volume, TSS/acid ratio and total gained yield/tree or fed.) and enhanced the vegetative growth activities (shoot length and thickness, new leaf production and increased the tree canopy volume), as well as, increased leaf mineral contents(N,P,K and Fe). Concerning soil and root system parameters: improved root number, length and weights, as well as, some root activities (absorbing root percent, root coefficient, amount of growing roots percent, root growth activity and relative weight of growing roots) as well as improved the soil fertility and some soil physical and chemical properties . On the other hand, failed to induce significant effect on (fruit number/tree, peel thickness and fruit juice chemical components such as TSS, acidity, ascorbic acid, also leaf dry matter, Zn and Mn contents). In the second rank came treatment (Nitrobein +Microbein+Potassein),this treatment appeared significant effects on the total obtained yield/tree and its components (fruit set, weight, dimensions, peel thickness and juice volume ,TSS,TSS/acid ratio and ascorbic acid,also total gained yield /tree or fed. as compared with control).Similarly, activated the vegetative growth vigor (shoot length and thickness,leaf area and tree canopy volume).In respective of leaf minerals contents.it is recorded uppermost values for (N, P, K, Fe, Zn, and Mn concentrations). Meanwhile, failed to induce significant effects on (number of fruit produced /tree, fruit axial dimension, juice acidity, leaf surface area and leaf dray matter) In the third rank, came treatment ((Nitrobein +Phosphorein+Potassein), with some appreciable significant results and significantly increased some features such as (fruit set, number/tree,fruit weight, peel thickness and fruit equatorial dimension as well as,total gained yield/tree or fed.). Also, improved fruit juice volume, TSS, TSS/acid ratio and ascorbic acid content. Furthermore, vigorous vegetative growth (increased shoot length ,thickness, new leaf production and tree canopy volume as compared with control. In addition more significant leaf minerals contents (N, P, K, Fe, Zn and Mn) were achieved .In addition, relatively, lower effects on root element content and soil physical and chemical characters were detected. Generally,the best combination of biofertilizers used were those represented treatment (Microbein +Phosphorein+Potassein) followed by those involved in treatment(Nitrobein+Microbein+Potassein) Meanwhile, the least effective biofertilizers were those sharer in treatment(Nitrobein +Phosphorein+Potassein). Concerning root system studies: The resulted indicated that, generally, the three treatments of biofertilizers used significantly increased most of root growth activities as follow: in respect of root number it is increased(total number of fibrous, intermediate, skeletal roots /tree), amount of growing roots and root growth activity. Also with root length the biofertilization treatments increased (total length of fibrous, intermediate and skeletal root /tree), absorbing roots percent and root coefficient value .Concerning root weight the tested treatments increased (total weight of fibrous, intermediate and skeletal roots/ tree) and relative weight of growing roots as well as root density values: (B)In respective of foliar sprays with plant extracts: Roselle, Cinnamon and Ginger extracts showed appreciable significant effects and promoted some chemical components. Foliar spraying with Ginger plant extract leading this treatment to became in the first rank. This treatment increased(fruit set, weight, dimensions, peel thickness and fruit juice volume, ascorbic acid as well as, total gained yield /tree or fed.). Also, activated the vegetative growth and increased shoot length, thickness, new leaf production and its surface area as well as the tree canopy volume.In addition it encourage accumulation of leaf trace elements content (Fe, Zn and Mn). Descendingaly, in the second order, came the foliar spraying with the extract of Cinnamon plants witch improved the following characters and increased( fruit set ,fruit dimensions, peel thickness and fruit juice volume and its components, TSS,TSS/acid ratio, ascorbic acid as well as total fruit yield/tree or fed.). Similarly, it improved some vegetative growth activities and increased new leaf production and its surface area, as well as leaf minerals content (K, Fe, Zn). In latest order, in the third rank, came the effect of spraying with Roselle plants extract witch slightly induced some tested characteristics as significant increments in fruit set, fruit dimensions and peel thickness.Also, TSS,TSS/acid ratio and ascorbic acid content. Furthermore, significantly increased shoot length , thickness, leaf area and leaf element content(P, K and Zn). It is worthy to mention, in a general view, that the Ginger extract appeared uppermost positive effects on most tested characters. Extract of Cinnamon plants showed relatively lower effects compared with those resulted by using Ginger. On the other hand, extract of Roselle plants, showed the lowermost significant effects with relatively fewer number of tested characters. There upon, in order to obtain good growth, high yield with better fruit quality and minimize environmental pollution it is advisable to replace the mineral fertilization with biofertilizers and antioxidants. |