EFFECT OF CALCIUM ON JUJUBE Ziziphus sp. FRUIT GROWTH AND THEIR RESISTANCE TO JUJUBE FRUIT FLY Carpomyia incompleta
Abstract
Calcium chloride was sprayed during winter growing season 2005-2006 to jujube trees cultivars Bambawi Ziziphus spina-christi and Zaitooni Z. mauritiana to test its effect on jujube fruit fly Carpomyia incompleta (Tephritidae:Diptera). The percentage of jujube fruit fly infestation on both cultivars of jujube were reduced and continued decreasing down during the growing season, that resulted from increasing of some jujube fruit quality characteristics, at a high concentration of calcium salt. A negative correlation was found among the percentage of fruit fly infestation and weight, size, water content, vitamin C, protein content and calcium content percentage of Bambawi and Zaitooni fruits, while positive correlation was found between the percentage infestation of fruit fly and dry matter percentage rate of both cultivars fruits .The present result concluded that there are a synergistic effect of jujube fruit quality characteristics on jujube fruit fly infestation, when spraying with calcium salt.
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