Application of biofertilization and biological control for cowpea production

Abstract

This study was carried out during two successive seasons 2014 and 2015 for evaluating the effect of inoculation with Bradyrhizobium sp, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus circulans, Glomus macrocarpum instead a part of chemical fertilization in the presence of biocontrol agent i.e., Pseudomonas fluorescens on some microbial enzymes activity, growth characteristics, some biological constituent as well as yield and its components for optimal nutrition and some attributes of cowpeas. Obtained data showed significant increases of dehydrogenase (DH), nitrogenase and phosphatase activity in both seasons using of the combination of biofertilization and chemical nitrogen fertilization. Moreover, the values of NH4-N, NO3-N, available-P and soluble-K were the highest records with dual application of biofertilizers and half dose of chemical fertilization. Concerning, vegetative growth parameters and total yield, NPK-microbial inoculants combined with NPK-mineral fertilizers had the highest values. The results of this study suggest that, it may be replaced the mineral fertilizers by biofertilizers, even partially, to produce a better food and such integrated nutrient management program should be followed to produce the highest yield of cowpea.

Improving the productivity of khella (Ammi visnaga L.) plants by using bio-straw treatments and some microorganisms

“…It was found that inoculation of khella plants with Streptomyces rochei (MA-6) and Bacillus subtilis (MA-13) in combination gave the tallest plants, highest number of branches/ plant and the heaviest herb fresh and dry weights (g)/plant as ranged 17.7 and 18.5, 33.53 and 25.3, 14.3 and 11.9, and 12.9 and 12.8% over control in the first and second seasons, respectively. The positive effect of bio-fertilization on enhancing growth parameters was observed by Hassan et al (2009) on khella plant, Hussein et al (2016), and Kamal and Ashish (2021) on dill (Anethum graveolens L.) plants, Alemu and Alemu (2015), and Somayeh and Hashem (2015) on faba bean (Vicia faba), Hegazi et al (2015) on squash plants. According to the interaction between NPK, bio straw manure and microbial inoculant treatments, it had a significant effect on all growth parameters of khella (Ammi visnaga L.) plants in both seasons.…”

“…Moreover, the highest values of the number of umbels per plant, the seed yield per plant (g) and per feddan (kg) were obtained when khella plants were supplied with fertilizer at a high rate (25 m 3 /feddan), as ranged 92.5, 57.6% concerning number of umbels per plant and 42.6 and 44.5% regarding seed yield per plant (g) and per feddan (kg), in the two seasons over the control, respectively. The effectiveness of organic manure on increasing yield parameters was revealed by Hassan et al (2009)…”

“…Therefore, the highest values of khellin, visnagin and total chromones percentages, were resulted due to utilizing bio straw at the high level (25 m 3 /feddan) reached 10.7 and 11.1%, 15.1 and 8.3%, and 12.0 and 10.2% over the check treatment, during the two seasons, respectively. The increments of these ingredients due to organic fertilization have been studied by Hassan et al (2009) and Mahmoud (2016) on khella plants, Hemdan (2008) The data indicated that the most effective treatments were obtained by adding a high rate of bio straw (25 m 3 /feddan) with double inoculation by Streptomyces rochei (MA-6) and Bacillus subtilis (MA-13) as compared to other treatments for both seasons, as shown in Table (5). From the obtained results, it could be recommended to supply the soil of khella (Ammi visnaga L.) plants with bio straw (25 m 3 /feddan) plus a mixture of the inoculation by Streptomyces rochei (MA-6) and Bacillus subtilis (MA-13) to enhance the growth, yield and active constituents (khellin, visnagin and total chromones percentage) under the conditions of this work.…”