Full Text

Int. J. Biosci.
2015
International Journal of Biosciences | IJB |
ISSN: 2220-6655 (Print), 2222-5234 (Online)
http://www.innspub.net
Vol. 6, No. 6, p. 91-96, 2015
RESEARCH PAPER
OPEN ACCESS
Effect of seed bio-fertilization on yield and nitrogen use
efficiency of a new released winter wheat cultivar: Alvand
Saber Shahim Germi, Bahram Mirshekari*
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Tabriz Branch, Islamic Azad University,
Tabriz, Iran
Key words: Bio-fertilizer, harvest index, nitrogen use efficiency, synthetic chemical fertilizers.
http://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/6.6.91-96
Article published on March 22, 2015
Abstract
Nitrogen is required in large quantities for plants to grow, and is mainly provided in the form of synthetic
chemical fertilizers. Such products pose a health hazard and microbial population problem in soil, besides
making the production cost high. The aim of this experiment was evaluation of effects of bio-fertilizer and
different levels of nitrogen fertilizer on yield and nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat. A factorial experiment
was conducted in Ahar, Iran. Seeds were inoculated with Nitragin bio-fertilizer under shade condition as 50 g
bio-fertilizer per kilogram of seeds, and then sown immediately after inoculation. Nitrogen was applied at the
rates of 0, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1 as urea form, which 50 % was applied basally and the rest at the booting stage.
Bio-fertilization caused to 25 % increases in fertile tiller number in compare with non-inoculated one. Among
studied treatments only N75 caused to 67 % increase in flag leaf area. In this experiment 1000 seed weight
affected just by seed inoculation with bio-fertilizer resulted in 10 % increase in the attribute from 48.1 g to 52.7 g.
Also, the yield increased 9 % in bio-fertilized seeds in comparison with non-primed check plots. The results
showed that application of bio-fertilizer resulted in 4 % increase in harvest index and nitrogenous fertilizer
application up to N75 caused to 8 % increase in harvest index in compare with N0. It is concluded from the results
of this experiment, ANUE of wheat can be improve by bio-fertilization plus nitrogen application, as well as,
nitrogen use can be economized by this way.
* Corresponding
Author: Bahram Mirshekari  [email protected]
91 Germi and Mirshekari
Int. J. Biosci.
2015
Introduction
fennel was observed with biofertilizer plus a half dose
Nitrogen deficit is a most important restrictive factor
of nitrogen (Mahfouz and Sharaf-Eldin, 2007).
in plant growth and recognition of mechanisms that
In a greenhouse survey about phosphorus solvent
increase plant nitrogen use efficiency is important.
micro-organisms on wheat growth and yield it was
Intensive farming practices that aim to produce
observed
higher yield, require extensive use of agro-chemicals
Pseudomonas
which are costly and create environmental pollutions
dissolution (El-Komy, 2005). The aim of this
(Sitepu Et al., 2008).
experiment was evaluation of effects of bio-fertilizer
that
Bacillus
fluorescens
megaterium
increased
and
phosphorus
and different levels of nitrogen fertilizer on yield and
Nitrogen is required in large quantities for plants to
nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat.
grow, and is mainly provided in the form of synthetic
chemical fertilizers. Such products pose a health
Materials and methods
hazard and microbial population problem in soil,
Experimental procedure
besides making the production cost high. Bio-
A factorial experiment was conducted based on a
fertilizers are able to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the
randomized complete block design in Ahar Research
available form for plants (Chen, 2006). Positive
Field located at the north west of Iran. The climate is
response of maize to nitrogen fertilizer has been
semi-arid and cold. Experimental soil was sandy-
reported by Aflakpui et al. (1997). Many attempts
loam with EC of 0.74 ds m-1, pH of 7.9 and 0.81 %
have been tried to replace a part of those harmful
organic matter. In all the plots, two cultivations with a
fertilizers by bio-fertilizers in crop plants to get yield
tractor-drawn cultivator along with manuring 12 t ha-1
of a good quality without loss in its quantity (El-Kholy
followed by a planking were given to achieve desirable
Et al., 2011). Diazotrophs such as Azospirillum,
soil structure. Then fields were plotted in the early
Azotobacter, Bacillus and Pseudomonas frequently
autumn before sowing. Seeds were inoculated with
colonize the important cereal crops including wheat,
Nitragin bio-fertilizer under shade condition as 50 g
rice and maize, and promote plant growth by
bio-fertilizer per kilogram of seeds, and then sown
producing certain PGPR (Malik Et al., 1994; Rashid
immediately after inoculation. Seeds were hand sown
Et al., 2013). Inoculation of plants with Azospirillum
in rows 20 cm apart at 4-5 cm depth. The seeding rate
could result in significant changes in various growth
in the experiment was 120 kg ha-1. Based on soil
parameters, such as crop biomass, nutrients uptake,
analysis, fertilizers P and K were applied basally at
plant height, leaf size and root length of cereals
the rate of 85 and 20 kg ha-1, respectively. Nitrogen
(Bashan Et al., 2004; Cakmakc Et al., 2006).
was applied at the rates of 0, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1 as
Inoculation
with
urea form, which 50 % was applied basally and the
plant
rest at the booting stage. Four time irrigations were
growth, nutrients uptake and yield (Dobbelaere Et al.,
given to all treatments until 20 days after pollination.
2011). El-kholy and Gomma (2000) have succeeded to
Weeds were hand removed during growing season.
reduce the recommended dose of chemical fertilizers
The seeds harvested separately for each plot when
in corn and millet by 50 %, using biofertilizers
spikes were fully ripened at the approximate moisture
without
of 20 %.
Azotobacter
of
maize
and
significant
and
wheat
Azospirillum
yield
loss.
seeds
increased
Kloepper
and
Beauchamp (1992) have shown that wheat yield
increased up to 30 % with Azotobacter inoculation
Characteristics measured
and up to 43 % with Bacillus inoculation. Kandeel Et
At harvesting time, agronomic traits and yield
al. (2012) found that dual inoculation with symbiotic
components
was
N2 fixers (Azotobacter and Azospirillum) increased
procedures.
Agronomic
plant height, number of branches per plant and dry
(ANUE) measured as equation 1;
weight of Ocimum basilicum. The highest oil yield of
92 Germi and Mirshekari
examined
following
nitrogen
use
standard
efficiency
Int. J. Biosci.
2015
Results and discussion
Variance analysis
Equation (1)
Seed inoculation with bio-fertilizer had significant
effect on fertile tiller number, stem height, biological
Statistical analysis
Data were statistically analyzed using the software
MSTAT-C. Analysis of variance was used to test the
significance of variance sources, while LSD test
(P=0.05) was used to compare the differences among
treatment means.
yield and harvest index of wheat at 1 % probability
level. In addition to effect of chemical fertilizer rate
on fertile tiller number, flag leaf area and ear seed
number was significant at 5 % probability level.
Interaction
of
studied
factors
on
ANUE
was
significant at 5 % probability level (Table 1).
Table 1. Variance analysis of effects of bio-fertilizer and chemical nitrogenous fertilizer on studied attributes in
wheat.
SV
df
Fertile tiller Stem
number
height
Flag
area
leaf Ear
length
Ear seed 1000
number weight
Replication
2
0.03
50.28*
11.44
1.05
12.59
4.40
Bio-fertilizer (A)
1
1.58**
100.99**
0.003
0.03
22.58
32.00**
Nitrogenous fertilizer 3
(B)
0.99*
8.89
0.99 *
1.85
55.85*
A*B
3
0.45
3.11
0.44
0.42
Error
14
0.24
12.40
0.21
0.66
CV (%)
-
18.00
5.12
19.88
13.67
seed Seed yield
Biologic
yield
Harvest
index
ANUE
1712.22
872311
0.004
4.125
17645.13*
14152.78** 16.02**
4.02**
0.44
8412.90
2000.65
0.040
1.41*
19.35
1.54
3280.14
3524.55
0.002
1.50*
12.58
8.27
4573.32
1523.11
0.69
0.33
15.55
15.40
21.57
15.74
16.23
13.00
Mean squares
*; ** indicate significant at P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively.
Bacillus increased tiller number. Application of
nitrogenous fertilizer caused to significant increase in
fertile tiller number. N50 and N75 had higher positive
effects on fertile tiller increment as 55 % and 50 %,
respectively
in
compared
with
N 0.
Nitrogen
application more than as 75 kg ha-1 decreased tillers
number significantly (Fig. 1). There are some reports
about negative effect of higher nitrogenous fertilizer
application on tiller number of wheat (Malik Et al.,
1994).
Fig. 1. Fertile tiller number per plant of wheat as
affected by urea application.
Tiller number
Bio-fertilization caused to 25 % increases in fertile
tiller number in compare with non-inoculated one.
Wheat tiller number is one of the important
determinant attributes of yield and there is a positive
and significant correlation between fertile tiller
number and productivity (Malik Et al., 1994). Saleem
Et al. (2006) observed positive correlation between
Fig. 2. Stem height of wheat as affected by urea
these attributes in wheat. Afzal Et al. (2012) reported
application.
that wheat seed inoculation with Pseudomonas and
93 Germi and Mirshekari
Int. J. Biosci.
2015
Stem height
weight affected just by seed inoculation with bio-
Egamberdiyeva Et al. (2004) reported that
fertilizer resulted in 10 % increase in the attribute
Pseudomonas caused to 22 % wheat stem height
from 48.1 g to 52.7 g. However other researchers
increase in compare with control. In the present study
reported that bio-fertilizers and chemical fertilizers
just N75 caused to improvement of plant height (Fig.
application caused to production of heavier seeds
2).
(Abbas Et al., 2009; Jelıć Et al., 2004). May be in this
experiment nitrogenous bio-fertilizer through seed
number increase caused to sinks increment and 1000
seed weight decrease as a result of seed competition
enhancement in assimilates allocation.
Fig. 3. Flag leaf area of wheat as affected by urea
application.
Flag leaf area
Among studied treatments only N75 caused to 67 %
increase in flag leaf area (Fig. 3).
Fig. 5. Harvest index of wheat as affected by urea
application
Also, the yield increased 9 % in bio-fertilized seeds in
comparison with non-primed check plots. On the base
of Afzal Et al. (2012) study Pseudomonas and
Bacillus resulted in significant seed yield increase in
compare with non-inoculated seeds. It has been
showed
that
yield
of
inoculated
wheat
with
Azotobacter and some species of Bacillus has
increased 30-45 % (Chang and Yang, 2009). Munir Et
al. (2007) reported that ear seed number, ear length
and 1000 seed weight are important determinant
Fig. 4. Seed number per ear of wheat as affected by
attributes in seed yield of wheat. Also, they
urea application.
emphasized on positive correlation between yield and
tiller number.
Yield components and ANUE
Nitrogen application as 50-75 kg ha-1 caused to 28 %
The results showed that application of bio-fertilizer
increase in seed number per ear compared with
resulted in 4 % increase in harvest index and
control (Fig. 4). Jelic Et al. (2004) found that
nitrogenous fertilizer application up to N75 caused to
nitrogenous fertilizer application caused to ear length
8 % increase in harvest index in compare with N0
and ear number increase per square meter and
(Fig. 5). Holten (2002) has reported that wheat
consequently
This
cultivars are different in view of nitrogen uptake and
increase results from nitrogenous fertilizer effect on
consumption efficiency. This researcher observed that
energy transfer and micronutrients action in plants
nitrogen increased crop seed yield, but it did not have
physiologically (2009). In this experiment 1000 seed
significant effect on above-ground dry matter. This
seed
number
enhancement.
94 Germi and Mirshekari
Int. J. Biosci.
2015
result is in agreement with reports of Hussein (2009)
Cakmakc RI, Aydın DF, Sahin AF. 2006. Growth
on corn. In our experiment urea application over than
promotion of plants by plant growth-promoting
75 kg ha-1 could reduce ANUE significantly (Fig. 6).
rhizobacteria under greenhouse and two different
field soil conditions. Soil Biology and Biochemistry
38, 1482–1487.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10340-011-0402-1
Chang
C,
Yang
S.
2009.
Thermo-tolerant
phosphate-solubilizing microbes for multi-functional
biofertilizer preparation. Bioresource Technology
100, 1648–1658.
Chen J. 2006. The combined use of chemical and
organic fertilizers for crop growth and soil fertility.
Fig.
6.
Interaction
of
seed
inoculation
and
nitrogenous fertilizer on ANUE of wheat
Int. Workshop on Sustained Management of the SoilRhizosphere System for Efficient Crop Production
and Fertilizer Use. 16–20 October, Thailand.
It is concluded from the results of this experiment,
ANUE of wheat can be improve by bio-fertilization
Dobbelaere S, Croonenborghs A, Thys A,
plus nitrogen application, as well as, nitrogen use can
Ptacek
be economized by this way.
Labandera-Gonzalez C, Caballero-Mellado J,
D,
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