Effect of Blue-Green Algae in Soils with Different Texture: (a) on Enhancement Growth and Yield of Wheat Plant

Abstract

Blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) can play an important role in fixing atmospheric nitrogen and it supplies plants with nitrogen they need in the soil. The blue-green algae were selected as a biofertilizer for the wheat plant. A pot experiment was carried out at the Agriculture Faculty, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt, in 2021 to investigate the growth and yield of wheat by using cyanobacteria strains with two types of soil. These cyanobacteria strains were isolated and identified as Nostoc lichenoides, Nostoc indistinguendun and Nostoc favosum and their inoculants were added individually and in a mixture. Sandy and clay loam soil textures were used, using four inorganic nitrogen levels (0, 20, 40 and 60 % N) was used from recommended dose (70 kg N fed -1 ). Generally, data introduced that the highest significant increase in plant height, spikes number, spikes dry weight, grains weight and 1000-grain weight with 40 to 60% levels inorganic nitrogen when used in clay loam soil and mixture from cyanobacterial inoculants treatment. From these results, the blue-green algae have reduced the use of chemical fertilizers for nitrogen application from 40 to 60% compared with recommended doses of nitrogen.