During my first trip to Lebanon, I watched with astonishment large tracts of fruit trees around the port city of Saida. They explained to me that this city that we Westerners know as Sidon, (in ancient times a rich Phoenician city producing glass, with close commercial links with ancient Egypt) today is the capital of an area famous for its fresh fruit, its sweets (the local specialty is a crunchy cookie called senioura) and for its wines. Indeed, Lebanon is one of the oldest wine production places in the world.
The main challenge for grape growers in that area is to obtain good crops on alkaline soils. I met with local producers and, together, we concluded that the best option to optimize the quality of the grape (and also of the peaches, another popular fruit in the area) is the use of the multipurpose Sangral® 20-20-20, during the productive season and also in periods of stress. In addition, Sangral® Potassium Nitrate, a formula rich in potassium, with an N: P2O5: K2O ratio of 1: 0: 3, is very useful in these soils. Potassium is responsible for transporting carbohydrates from the leaves to the reproductive organs. (fruits and seeds), which affects a higher yield; better quality, higher concentration of sugars and, consequently, greater income for farmers.
To solve specific deficiencies, I proposed using fertilizers such as Sangral® Calmag, a calcium and magnesium nitrate completely soluble in water. This combines three nutrients in a product helping the plant to achieve greater photosynthetic capacity and rapid development of leaf mass during the vegetative stage of plant growth. Calcium and magnesium deficiencies often occur simultaneously, and Sangral® Calmag is an excellent way to effectively deliver additional calcium and magnesium during critical physiological or environmental conditions.
Finally, for correction and prevention of iron deficiency, particularly in alkaline and calcareous soils such as those in Lebanon, I recommended iron chelate (Bolikel). It works best when applied to plants dissolved through soil or roots.
