INTEGRATED USE OF MINERAL AND ORGANIC FERTILIZERS, GAMMA IRRADIATION AND MAGNETITE IMPACT ON WHEAT PRODUCTIVITY

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Agron. Dept., Fac. Agric., Zagazig Univ., Egypt

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in an Experimental field, Abu-Hammad District, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during two successive winter seasons (2012/2013 and 2013/2014) to study the impact of six fertilization regimes and seven treatments of gamma irradiation and their combinations with magnetite on grain and straw yields and their components of wheat cultivar “Misr 1”. The most important results could be summarized as follows: the application of F1 [NPK (90 Kg N + 15.5 Kg P2O5 + 25 Kg K2O)/fad.] and F4 [Organic manure (3 tonnes compost/ fad.) + ½ NPK] fertilization regimes resulted in the highest averages for all studied traits i.e. No. of grains/spike, grain weight/spike (g), 1000- grain weight (g), No. of spikes /m2, grain yield (ardab/fad.) and straw yield (tonne /fad.). These results are in favour of F4 fertilization regime, which reduced production costs and pollution in addition to sustaining soil fertility through the favourable effect of organic matter on the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil. With regard to gamma irradiation and magnetite effects, irradiated grains with 10 Gy gamma irradiation, produced the highest average for each of No. of grains/spike, grain weight/spike and No. of spikes/m2, in addition to grain yield. Meanwhile, grain irradiation with gamma dose 20 Gy with 150 kg magnetite/fad., or without magnetite addition produced the highest straw yield. The interaction between the two studied factors did not reach the level of significance regarding grain and straw yields/fad., and their components during the two growing seasons and their combined data, therefore the addition of 3 tonnes compost/fad. + half of the recommended dose of NPK could be recommended to maximize yield and reduce environmental pollution.

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