EFFECT OF MINERAL NITROGEN AND BIOFERTILIZER APPLICATION ON NODULATION EFFICIENCY AND GROWTH OF PEANUT PLANTS GROWN ON A SANDY SOIL TREATED WITH ORGANIC FERTILIZERS

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out on a sandy soil of Experimental Farm, Ismailia Research Station, Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Egypt, during two successive growth summer seasons, i.e. 2016 and 2017 on peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Giza 5 cv., to study the individual and combined effect of applications of mineral N fertilization levels (25 and 40 kg N / fed., ammonium sulphate, 20.3 % N).Four resources of organic fertilizers (farmyard manure “FYM” , solid plant compost “SPC” , enriched compost tea “ECT” and FYM+ECT) and two different mixtures of biofertilizers (B1 and B2) on nodulation efficiency and growth of peanut plants. B1 consists of Azospirillum braselinse (local strain) +Bacillus megatherium (local strain) +Azotobacter chroococcum (local strain); while B2 consists of Bradyrhizobium.sp ( strain (USDA 3456)) + Serratia marcescens ( strain MH6) +Psuedomonas fluorescens (strain IFO 2034). Application rate of SPC, FYM were 5 ton / fed., while ECT was 75 L/fed (fed is 0.42 ha). The treatment of FYM+ECT was carried out at a rate of 2.5 ton FYM / fed. + 37.5 L ECT/ fed. The layout of the experiment was a split-split-plot design, with the main plots arranged in a randomized complete blocks design, with three replicates. The results showed that, a marked significant increases in both nodules (number and dry matter) formed on the roots of peanut plants as well as the dry matter of shoots of peanut plants owing to the used fertilization treatments as compared to the control. The highest values of nodulation (number and weight) and shoots dry weights were found in the plants fertilized by triple combinations of mineral N, organic and biofertilizers followed by those found duo to the dual combinations. Data also showed a superior increase of applied B2 and addition of ECT than that obtained for B1 and either of than other organic fertilizers on nodules number as shoots dry weight of peanut plants at growth period of 45 days. Generally, data showed an importance role of mineral N and bio-fertilizers application on sandy soil fertility of sandy soil treated with organic fertilizers and its productivity of peanut plants.