EFFECT OF FOLIAR-APPLIED IRON AND NICKEL ON THE TRACE ELEMENT CONTENT OF AERIAL GRAPEVINE ORGANS

The influence of foliar treatment of grapevine with iron and nickel containing compounds (0,3% of Fe - DTPA and 0,02 % of NiSO₄) on the trace element content in aerial parts of grapevine in field conditions was studied. The optimal doses of compounds were established on the base of our previous experiments. The 6-8 year old plants of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Codrinski were used; the soil was a chernozem calcareous, poorly provided for accessible forms of Fe (320 ppm) and Ni (0,41 ppm). It was showed that foliar treatment influenced the concentration of introduced elements in leaf blades. The content of Ni in shoots increased after treatments, a consequence of its high mobility and efflux to the perennial parts of plants. Cu content decreased under the Ni influence and Mn content increase under the Fe influence. The antagonism between Fe and Ni, that was evident in our previous experiments with heigher doses of both elements, was not observed in this experiment. The high content of Ni in bunches of control plants was find. After the foliar treatment a clear tendency to the efflux of trace elements from generative parts was evident. The foliar treatment led to the crop increase in comparison with control plants.