The Effect of Biofertilizer of Azolla, Phosphate and Nitrogen Fertilizers on some Growth Traits of Rice

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during the summer season of 2019 in one of the fields of Al-Tahiniah village-Al-Mahanawiya district which is 36 km away from the Diwaniyah governorate center, to study the effect of azolla, phosphate and nitrogen fertilizers and the interactions between them on some growth traits of rice. The experiment was arrangement as factorial experiment according to Randomized Complete Blocks Design (RCBD) at three replications. The experiment included three factors, the first factor included the application of azolla (Azolla pinnata L.) at 20 tons ha−1 and the control treatment (without application of azolla), while the second factor included application three levels of phosphate fertilizer (21, 42 and 84 kg P ha−1) as well as the control treatment (without application of phosphate fertilizer), whereas the third factor included application two levels of nitrogen fertilizer (92 and 184 kg N ha−1) as well as the control treatment (without application of nitrogen fertilizer). The results showed that the application of Azolla pinnata L. gave the highest means for the content of rice leaves of nitrogen and phosphorous, plant height and leaf content of chlorophyll with a significant increase 14.83, 30.30, 6.37 and 7.80% respectively. Also, the application of phosphate fertilizer at 42 kg P ha−1 was significantly superior and gave the highest results of the content of rice leaves of nitrogen and phosphorous, plant height and leaf content of chlorophyll with a significant increase 31.32, 12.38, 6.04 and 11.87% respectively. In addition to, the application of nitrogen fertilizer at 184 kg N ha−1 had the highest results of the content of rice leaves of nitrogen and phosphorus, plant height and leaf content of chlorophyll with a significant increase 42.03, 16.22, 15.49 and 16.04% respectively, without significant difference with application of nitrogen fertilizer at 92 kg N ha−1. We can concluded that the application of Azolla pinnata L. reduced the amounts of phosphate and nitrogen fertilizer by 50% of recommended amounts and led to improve the growth traits of rice.