Abstract
A field study was conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm of Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran to investigate the effects of phosphate biofertilizer, row spacing and plant density on corn yield and weed growth. The experiment was a factorial with three factors arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The first factor was phosphate biofertilizer (inoculation and non-inoculation), the second was row spacing (conventional (75 cm) and reduced (50 cm)) and the third was plant density (66,666 plants·ha–1 (conventional plant density) 83,333 and 99,999 plants·ha–1 (1.25 and 1.5 times the conventional plant density, respectively)). Results indicated that corn yield and weed growth were significantly influenced by row spacing and plant density. So that, corn yield improved and weed biomass diminished in response to increasing plant density and decreasing row spacing. However, phosphate biofertilizer had no significant effect on corn yield, whereas, weed biomass was notably increased when phosphate biofertilizer was applied. Overall, this study revealed that both yield and weed control in corn field can be improved by alteration of the planting arrangement.
Highlights
Corn is one of the most important cereals which is widely planted in Iran
A field study was conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm of Razi University, Kermanshah, Iran to investigate the effects of phosphate biofertilizer, row spacing and plant density on corn yield and weed growth
This study revealed that both yield and weed control in corn field can be improved by alteration of the planting arrangement
Summary
Corn is planted in a wide row spacing (75 cm) and a low plant density (66,666 plants· ha–1). The studies on corn row spacing and plant density have produced inconsistent results. In an attempt to reduce environmental risk and cost with chemical fertilizer use, phosphorous biofertilizers (phosphate-solubilizing microorganisms) has been considered as possible substitutes for traditional mineral P fertilizer. These microorganisms have been distinguished by their relative ability to dissolve calcium phosphate and apatite in association with plant roots. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of planting arrangement and phosphate biofertilizer on corn yield and weed growth in Kermanshah, west Iran
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