Replacing Part of the Mineral Fertilizer by using Organic and Biological Fertilizers in the Sunflower

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in one of the fields of the College of Agricultural Engineering Sciences - University of Baghdad - Jadriya during the spring season of 2022, with the aim of assessing the possibility of replacing chemical fertilizers with organic and biological fertilizers as an alternative for a portion of the chemical fertilizers and their impact on the yield and quality of sunflower seeds. Randomized Complete Bock Design (RCBD) with three replications was used, using split plot arrangement. The main plots included four fertilizer treatments: (100% mineral fertilizers (recommended), 50% recommended mineral fertilizers + organic fertilizer represented by Trichoderma harzianum fungus and Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria, 50% recommended mineral fertilizers + organic fertilizer represented by Trichoderma harzianum fungus and Azotobacter chroccocum bacteria, and 50% recommended mineral fertilizers + organic fertilizer represented by Orgevit poultry waste supplemented with macro and micronutrients). The sub-plots included three cultivars (Ishaqi1, Flami, and Lilo). The results showed that the Ishaqi1 cultivar outperformed and gave the highest fertility percentage (75.22%) and number of seeds per head (757.78 seeds head -1), and weight of 300 seeds (15.80 grams) and a total seed yield (2.942 tons ha-1), and an oil content percentage of 41.00%. On the other hand, the Flami cultivar excelled in the percentage of filling (47.115%). The fertilizer treatment of 50% recommended mineral fertilizers + organic fertilizer represented by (Trichoderma harzianum fungus and Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria) showed superiority in fertility percentage (79.69%), number of seeds per head (771.20 seeds head -1), filling percentage (47.397%), total seed yield (3.041 tons ha-1), and oil content percentage (42.17%).