Influence of Fertilizer Application on Growth, and Quality in Champedak Artocarpus integer (Thunb.) Merr.

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the effects of fertilizer application on the growth and fruit quality of Champedak (Artocarpus integer). The experiment took place in a farmer’s Champedak orchard located in Lan Saka Subdistrict, Lan Saka District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, from November 2023 to September 2024. A Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was employed, comprising 25 Champedak trees assigned to five treatments, with five trees per treatment. Fertilizer was applied in two separate periods as described below. During the first fertilization period, which aimed to enhance vegetative growth in terms of stem and leaf development, five fertilizer treatments were applied. Treatment 1 served as the control with no fertilizer application. In Treatment 2, fertilizer formula 21-0-0 was applied at a rate of 1 kg per tree. Treatment 3 received fertilizer formula 15-0-0 at the same rate, while Treatment 4 was supplied with fertilizer formula 46-0-0 at a rate of 1 kg per tree. Treatment 5 was given fertilizer formula 11-0-0 at a rate of 1 kg per tree. The results showed that the application of fertilizer formula 46-0-0 at a rate of 1 kg per tree produced the highest percentage of new shoot emergence, indicating that this treatment was the most effective in promoting vegetative growth of champedak trees. During Period 2, fertilizer application was carried out to promote flowering, enhance nutrient accumulation, induce flower formation, and support fruit development and quality. Fertilizer formula 8-24-24 was applied at varying rates across five treatments. Treatment 1 served as the control with no fertilizer application, while Treatments 2, 3, 4, and 5 received fertilizer at rates of 1, 2, 3, and 4 kg per tree, respectively. The results indicated that the application of 8-24-24 at 4 kg per tree had the most fruit development, and fruit quality. This treatment produced the highest values for fruit circumference, fruit length, fruit weight, pulp weight, seed weight, rind thickness, and pulp sweetness, demonstrating its effectiveness in improving both the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of Champedak fruit.