EFFECT OF SEAWEED APPLICATION ON NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF STRAWBERRY CV. ALBION GROWN UNDER THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF NORTHERN IRAQ.

This pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of four doses (0, 2, 4 and 8 g.L^-1) of seaweed extract (Alga 600) application with fertigation on nutrient uptake of strawberry cv. Albion during the 2016-2017 vegetation period in Kalar city located in Northern Iraq. The results of leaf analysis indicated significant (p<0.01) differences at the nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), calcium (Ca), manganese (Mn) and iron (Fe) concentrations between two sampling periods. In contrast, copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) concentrations of plants leaves did not significantly differed between the sampling periods. According to the statistical analysis, the effect of seaweed doses on nutrients were statistically insignificant for all nutrients except Mn (p>0.05). While for the Mn element, the highest value (223.70 ± 11.59 mg kg^-1) obtained from T4 (8 g.L^-1) seaweed dose; the lowest one (164.91 ± 11.59 mg kg^-1) obtained from control dose. The effect of interaction between seaweed doses and periods on nutrients was also not found statistically significant (p>0.05). In general, seaweed extract of 8 g.L^-1 was more effective on macro and micro nutrient contents of strawberry leaves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]