Abstract
Phosphorus (P) unavailability and lack of organic matter in the soils under semiarid climates are the two major constraints for low crop productivity. Field trial was conducted to study the effects of P levels, compost application times and seed inoculation with phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) on the yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L., cv. Azam). The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy Research Farm of The University of Agriculture Peshawar-Pakistan during summer 2014. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement using three replications. The two PSB levels [(1) inoculated seed with PSB (+) and (2) seed not inoculated with PSB (- or control)] and three compost application times (30, 15, and 0 days before sowing) combination (six treatments) were used as main plot factor, while four P levels (25, 50, 75, and 100 kg P ha-1) used as subplot factor. The results confirmed that compost applied at sowing time and P applied at the two higher rates (75 and 100 kg P ha-1) had significantly increased yield and yield components of maize under semiarid condition. Maize seed inoculated with PSB (+) had tremendously increased yield and yield components of maize over PSB-control plots (-) under semiarid condition.
Highlights
Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important cereal crop in Pakistan after wheat and rice (Farhad et al, 2009)
Field experiment was conducted to investigate the impact of three compost (2 t ha−1) application times [0, 15, and 30 days before sowing (DBS)], four phosphorus levels (25, 50, 75, and 100 kg P ha−1), and two phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) levels [(1) inoculated seed with PSB (+) and (2) seed not inoculated with PSB (− or control)] on the yield and yield components of maize
The collected data of all parameters were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and statistically analyzed according to Steel et al (1997) for randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement and means among different treatments were compared using least significant differences (LSD) test (p ≤ 0.05)
Summary
Maize (Zea mays L.) is the third most important cereal crop in Pakistan after wheat and rice (Farhad et al, 2009). The use of beneficial microorganisms (biofertilizers) such as phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB) as inoculants with the seed increases P availability and uptake by the plants (Mousavi et al, 2004; Sharan et al, 2008; Nico et al, 2012) because the beneficial microbes produce of organic acids which reduce soil pH (Chen et al, 2006; Rodriguez et al, 2006). These acids reduce the PH and bring the dissolution of bound forms of phosphate (Walpola and Yoon, 2012). This research work was designed with an objective to find out proper timing of compost application along with suitable P level with and without PSB for improving yield and yield components of maize under semiarid climates
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