Abstract: |
ABSTRACT
Long-term use of chemical fertilizers has negatively affected the environment and the natural microbial diversity in the soil and thus reduced soil fertility and crop quality. Therefore, integrated application of mineral, organic and bio fertilizers is believed to be more effective compared with the stand-alone application of these. Two pot experiments were conducted inside a greenhouse at the Faculty of Technology and Development, Zagazig University, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during two successive growing seasons 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of integrated fertilization with mineral, organic, and bio-fertilizer on quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa willd.) and grain sorghum (Sorghum valgare c.v Dorado) yields and yield components in calcareous and sandy soils. The study included seven N levels in mineral & organic forms (N0 = 0.0, N1=75, N2 = 100, N3 = 125 kg inorganic-N fed -1, N4 = N1+ 50 kg organic-N fed -1, N5 = N2+ 25 kg organic-N fed -1 and N6 = 125 kg organic-N fed -1). Two bio-fertilizer regimes (b0, b1) i.e., without bio-fertilizer and bio-fertilizer with three microorganisms' species’, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (Azotobacter Chroococum), phosphorus dissolving bacteria (Bacillus Megaterium Var.phosphaticum) as well as Silicate solubilizing bacteria (Bacillus Circulans) in a rate of 2 L fed-1 and micronutrients fertilizer rates i.e., T0, T1 (0.0 and 2 L fed-1) in the form of chelated compounds for Fe, Cu, Zn and Mn at concentrations of 5, 2, 5 and 5 %, respectively. Treatments were arranged in split split plot with three replicates. The results indicated that, most of the studied quinoa and sorghum parameters, namely, plant length (PL), dry weight (DW) at both flowering and the harvest stages, grain yield (GY), straw yield (SY) and biological yield (BY) at the harvest stage, as well as N, P, K-uptake, total uptake (by grain + straw) and crude protein percent (CP %) in the two studied soils were significantly increased by adding mineral, organic and bio fertilizers compared to control in both two growing seasons. The best values of the aforementioned traits were obtained by the application of the interaction treatment (75 kg inorganic-N fed-1 + 50 kg organic-N fed-1) × (2 L fed-1 bio-fertilizer) × (2 Lfed-1 micronutrients fertilizer) or by the treatment (recommended dose, 100 kg inorganic N fed-1) × (2 Lfed-1 bio-fertilizer) × (2 Lfed-1 micronutrients fertilizer). The obtained results also showed that, values of each ANUE (Agronomical N-Use Efficiency) and NRE (Nitrogen-Recovery Efficiency) decreased with increasing the added amount of nitrogen up to 125 kg mineral N fed-1, so the best fertilization treatment that resulted in the highest values for these two efficiencies is (N1 ×b1×T1). As for Ph.NUE (Physiological N-Use Efficiency), the results indicated that, its values decreased with the increase in the amount of mineral nitrogen added, while it was found that the highest values achieved for this efficiency were when using the treatment (N6×b1×T1). Regarding NHI (Nitrogen Harvest Index), the data showed that the best interaction treatment that achieved the highest values were (N2× b1×T1) or (N4×b1×T1) without significant difference between them under the conditions of calcareous and sandy soils. Overall, since NHI is an important indicator and is largely related to crop quantity and quality, the best values for ANUE, NRE and Ph.NUE will be consistent with it on the same line. Therefore, integrated nutrient formulations of nitrogen fertilizers (mineral and organic), bio-fertilizers and micro-nutrient fertilizers can be used as an environmentally friendly agricultural practice to obtain acceptable yields of quinoa and sorghum and their phytonutrient contents while reducing environmental pollution under arid and semi-arid conditions.
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