Influence of Nitrogen, Biofertilizer, Compost Addition and Sowing Dates on Wheat Grown in Upper Egypt

Abstract

Response of wheat yield to nitrogen fertilization is differing according to soil, fertilizer, application method, weather conditions, and sowing dates. Two field experiments were carried out during the two successive winter growing seasons of 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 at Kom Ompo Agriculture Research Station, Aswan Governorate, Egypt (24° 28' 38.604 N and 32° 56' 50.671 E) to evaluate the influence of three sowing dates (November 1st and 20th and December 10th) and five treatments of nitrogen fertilization (75 kg N fed-1, 56.25 kg N+ inoculation with biofertilizer, 56.25 kg N + 10 m3 compost, 37.5 kg N +biofertilizer+ twice N foliar spray and 37.5 kg N+ 10 m3 compost + twice N foliar spray) on wheat yield. Treatments were distributed in a Split Plot Design with three replicates; sowing dates in the main plots and nitrogen fertilization treatments in the sub plots. Results revealed that N-fertilization treatments 56.25 kg N fed-1+ biofertilizer inoculation and 37.5 kg N fed-1+ biofertilizer+ twice foliar spray of 1%N had superior effect on wheat yield, its components, protein content the uptake of NPK in grain and straw without signicant differences between them, and with the treatment of 37.5 kg N+ 10 m3 compost+ twice N foliar spray which recorded the highest yield. Sowing dates of wheat had significant effects on grain and straw yields, its components and the uptake of NPK; since the rank for their superior effects was as follows: 20Nov>1Nov>10Dec. Grain and straw yields increased with sowing wheat at November 20th by 10.68 and 14.70 % as compared with sowing at November 1 and by 40.52 and 29.26 % as compared with sowing at December 10th, respectively. For the economical return, N fertilization at a rate of 37.5 kg N+ biofertilizer inculation+ twice 1% N foliar spray recorded the highest net return (14017 L.E) per feddan as compared with other treatments. So, it could be concluded that and N fertilization at 37.5 kg N+ biofertilizer+ twice N foliar spray is the optimum treatment under these conditions with sowing wheat on November 20th, not only because it could rotaionlize mineral N fertilizer by 45% approximately, but also safeguard environment againist pollution.