Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizer and Spraying of Copper on Growth and Yield of Squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.)

Abstract

A two-factorial experiment of a randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted to determine the effect of nitrogen and copper fertilizer on growth and yield of squash. The two factors were nitrogen fertilizer in two forms i.e., Urea and Di ammonium phosphate (DAP) with an application rate of 120 kg ha and spraying of copper (Cu 24.5%) with four levels (C0 = distilled water; C1=5, C2=10 -1 and C3=15 mg l ) on plant shoot at (5-15 mg l ).The studied growth component represented by the length of the plant, leaf area and dry weight. -1 -1 The obtained results showed that the nitrogen fertilizer (urea) significantly increased the plant length, leaf area and dry weight in the first season, while the total yield significantly increased for both seasons. The spraying of Cu (10 mg l ) led to a significant increase in plant length -1 and dry weight in the first season whilst the leaf area had increased in both seasons. The yield significantly increased as a result of spraying Cu (5 mg l ) in the first season while chlorophyll (SPAD) had increased in the second season. The application of 15mg l increased the Cu -1 -1 concentration in each of the soil, leaves and fruits in both seasons. The interaction between nitrogen fertilizer and spraying of copper (10 mg l ) -1 led to a significant increase in the leaf area for the first season while the interaction of 15 mg l with DAP fertilizer significantly increased the leaf -1 area in the second season. Moreover, the interaction between urea fertilizer and spraying of Cu (15 mg l ) significantly increased chlorophyll -1 (SPAD) for both seasons and the total yield had increased in the first season, in addition to increasing the concentration of N and Cu in the soil, leaves and fruits.