Yield and Fruit Quality of "Le-conte" Pear Trees as Affected by Compost Tea and Some Antioxidants Applications

2 Abstract: The effects of compost tea, which abstracted by 1.5kg/10L water, as soil or foliar application at 5 liter/tree and three foliar antioxidant treatments at 1000 ppm of ascorbic acid, 200 ppm of thiamin and 200 ppm salicylic acid, in addition to the combinations between compost tea and antioxidants were studied during the two successive seasons of 2011 and 2012 on yield, fruit quality and nutrient leaf content of 'Le-Conte' pear trees. Foliar compost application recorded the highest yield (Kg/tree) and better fruit quality and higher N, P and K contents as compared to soil compost application and control ones. As regard to the effect of tasted antioxidants, ascorbic acid application recorded the highest yield/tree, best fruit quality as compared to other antioxidants and control trees. The interaction between compost tea and different antioxidant treatments revealed that foliar application of compost tea plus ascorbic acid gave the highest increment in yield/tree (Kg) and the best values of fruit quality and NPK leaf content comparing to other treatments and untreated trees.