Influence of bio-inoculation and various potassium application rates on soil fertility, maize productivity and yield components
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted at a domestic farm prolonged to El-Badrashien, Giza, Egypt to study the influential role of bio-inoculations and various potassium application rates on soil fertility and maize crop yield and its components. Experimental plots were arranged in a randomized complete blocks design with three replicates. Potassium sulphate (50% K2O) was applied in different three rates i.e. 0, 50 and 100% of the recommended doses in the main plots. While, six different microbial strains namely: Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida, Bacillus circulans, Bacillus megatherium, Serratia sp. and Trichoderma sp. besides the control treatment (without any microbial treatments) were applied in the sub-main plots.
Soil fertility values expressed as the availability of NPK nutrients in soil are comparatively increased under different K application rates and bio-inoculation than the control treatments, where the highest increases (118.98 and 34.25 for N; 95.94 and 102.98 for P and 143.41 and 148.82 for K) were produced by inoculation with Ps. fluorescens and Ps. putida, respectively. Moreover, the increases in NPK uptake by maize plants reached to 196 and 165; 119.2 and 109.4; 91.9 and 69.3%, respectively, under the same two strains.
On the other hand, both Pseudomonas strains were superior to the other studied microbes in enhancing the total microbial counts (98.12 and 96.60 ×105 calonis/g dry soil) and dehydrogenase activities in rhizosphere soil (66.19 and 60.72 µg TPF/g soil/day).
Often, the increase in potassium application rates is followed by the enhancement of maize grains yield, weight of 100 grain, ear weight, length and diameter as well as plant dry weights and heights. These increases were associated with the inoculation by Ps. fluorescens and Ps. putida.
Finally, the study may suggest that application of bio-inoculation in agriculture is a sustainable way to increase crop yields and economize their production
Publication year 2006
Pages 255-267
Availability location Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, ARC, 9 Cairo Univ. St, Giza, Egypt
Availability number
Organization Name
Country Egypt
City Zagazig
Publisher Name: The Egyptian Society of Applied Sciences
serial title Egyptian Journal of Applied Sciences
ISSN 1110-1571
Volume 21 . 7
Department Agricultural Microbiology Research
Author(s) from ARC
Agris Categories Soil biology
AGROVOC
TERMS		 Bacillus circulans. Bacillus megaterium. Inoculation. Potassium. Productivity. Pseudomonas fluorescens. Pseudomonas putida. Serratia. Soil fertility. Trichoderma.
Publication Type Journal
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