EFFECT OF PRECISION LAND LEVELING ON FABA BEAN RESPONSE TO COMPOST APPLICATION IN SANDY SOILS

Abstract

This study was carried out in Kalabsho Region, El-Dakhlia Governorate, during 2007 winter season to identify effect of precision land leveling on faba bean response to compost application in sandy soils. The experiment was designed statistically as a split plots with three replicates. The main plots were located for the precision land leveling levels of 0, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03% slope, which were compared with the traditional land leveling (0.01% slope), and the sub plots were devoted for the compost amount levels of 1.60, 2.00 and 2.40 Mg/fed, which were compared with the bereaved of compost application. The precision land leveling slope of 0.02% under compost application of 2.40 Mg/fed achieved the lower soil bulk density value of 1.28 g/m3, the lower soil infiltration rate value of 20 mm/h and the higher concentration of soil macronutrients values of 24, 17 and 311 ppm for N, P and K, respectively. It required the lower total applied irrigation water amount of 1415 m3/fed. It achieved higher grain yield of 1.40 Mg/fed. and higher water use efficiency of 0.98 kg/m3. Generally, it is recommended to apply the precision land leveling under compost application to achieve higher faba bean grain yield and save more irrigation water in sandy soils.