Two field experiments were carried out at Ismailia Agricultural Research
Station, during 2002 and 2003 seasons to study the response of short grain sorghum
variety (Dorado) to foliar spray with 500 ppm from ascorbic acid (A. A.), citric acid
(CA) and mixture of (A.A. + C.A.) as well as control (without spraying) under different
rates of nitrogen fertilizer Le. 80,100,120 and 140 kg N/fed. in sandy soil conditions.
The results in these trials show that: Increasing nitrogen fertilization rates from 80 to 120 kg N/fed. significantly
increased plant height, head weight, grain weight/head, number of kernels per
panicles and grain yield/fed. Whereas, adding 140 kg N/fed. recorded insignificant
decrease in these characters compared with plants received 120 kg N/fed. Total
chlorophyll in leaves, as well as protein, phosphorus and potassium percentages in
grains were increased gradually with increasing nitrogen rates from 80 to 140 kg
N/fed. The foliar spray of grain sorghum plants with ascorbic and 'citric acids gave the
highest values in plant height, head weight, grain weight/head, green weight/fed. ,
grain yield/fed. , total chlorophyll in leaves as well as protein, phosphorus and
potassium percentages in grains, whereas number of kernels/head gave maximum
value by spraying 500 ppm citric acid only. The interaction effect between nitrogen fertilizations and ascorbic & citric acids
recorded significant effect on plant height, LAI, head weight, grain weight/head,
1000 kernel weight and grain yield/fed. Most of these characters gave the highest
values by adding 120 kg N/fed. and sprayed with mixture of AA and C.A. Also,
1000 kernel weight gave the highest value by adding 140 kg N/fed. without spray of
organic acids. Maximum values percentage of protein, phosphorus and potassium
in grains as well as total chlorophyll in leaves were extracted by adding 140 N/fed.
with spraying (A.A. + C.A.) mixture.