Response of wheat to cyanobacteria and compost tea applications as a tool to achieve bio-organic farming concept

Abstract

Increasing wheat output while decreasing the usage of chemical fertilizers is a significant policy considering the current economic conditions the world is going through. Thus, there is necessity for encourage eco-friendly techniques to add benefits to wheat growth and productivity while also reducing chemical fertilizers requisite. The current study was carried out to evaluate the impact of a potent strain (Nostoc calcicola), its extract, and compost tea solely or in combination on growth and productivity of wheat plants. The results support our hypothesis that the combined treatment significantly enhanced wheat growth, nutrients uptake, photosynthetic pigments, yield, and its components as well as the nutritional value of wheat grains and straw by using 50% dose of the required quantity of chemical fertilizers. Our findings suggested that combining cyanobacteria and compost tea to improve wheat plant growth, productivity and yield quality attributes might be a simple and cost-effective strategy.