Absorption of potassium,sodium, calcium,and phosphorus by two date palm cultivars and the effect of Gibberellin treatment

Experiments were conducted to avaluate the K, Na, Ca, and P uptake by seedlings of two date palm (phoenix dactylifera L.) cultivars, Khedhri and Sekkeri as well as the effect of gibberellin (GA₃) treatment, Khedhri cultivar showed a typical hyperbolic curve of absorption of K,N, end low concentration of Ca (up to 5mM) but at higher Ca concentration, there seems to be another phase of absorption. Sekkeri cultivar exhibited similar but lower absorption rate of K and Ca while Na seems to be extruded at lower substrate concentration. The rate of P uptake by Sekkeri was irregular. Applied GA₃ slightly stimulate Na uptake by Sekkeri cultivar but at 10^–4M GA₃ enhancement of both Ca and P accummulation in both cultivars was observed.