Flowering and leaf scorching in mango sprayed with ammonium and potassium nitrates.
Bondad N. D., Reyes C. V.
Author Affiliation: Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines, Los Baņos, Laguna, Philippines.
Philippine Journal of Science 120 : 311-327
Abstract : Leaves of 7-year-old mango cv. Carabao plants were sprayed to run-off with NH4NO3 and/or KNO3 at various concentrations. NH4NO3 at 20-60 g/litre was very toxic (in terms of leaf scorching) whereas KNO3 (10-40 g/litre) was practically non-toxic. Addition of alkaline materials reduced the toxicity of NH4NO3, with 20 g NH4NO3 + 20 g slaked lime or CaO/litre the best combination. Reducing the NH4NO3 concentration and adding KNO3 to compensate completely eliminated toxicity, but the flowering response (intensity) was unsatisfactory compared with the standard (more costly) treatment of 20 g KNO3/litre.