The Influence of Glomus Mosseae, Palm Frond Compost and Irrigation Duration on the Growth of Millet Plant (Panicum miliaceum L.) and on the Availability of Iron and Zinc in the Soil

Abstract

To study the effect of inoculation with Gloums Mosseae inoculum, organic residues (palm fronds compost), and irrigation duration on the growth and availability of iron and zinc for millet plant Pamicum Miliaceum L., a field trial was carried out for the summer season 2022 in one of the fields of Al-Diwaniyah Governorate - Sumer district in sandy clay loamy soil. The experiment was implemented following a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The experimental treatments were distributed randomly. They were: with and without fungal inoculum (F0 and F1), three levels of organic residue applications C0 = control, C1 = 3 tons of compost application, C2 = 5 tons of compost application, and three irrigation durations R1= Irrigation every 10 days, R2 = irrigation every 15 days, R3 = irrigation every 20 days. The results are summarized as follows: The results present a significant increase in all the studied traits, plant height, shoot dry weight, and iron concentration in the soil during the flowering and full maturity stages, except for the zinc concentration in the soil, which the increase was not significant. The values of these traits were 88.84 cm plant-1, 56.15 gm plant-1, 290.2 mg Fe kg soil-1, and 230.9 mg Fe kg soil-1, respectively, compared to the control treatment (no application + irrigating every twenty days) 50.62 cm plant-1, 23.53 g plant-1, 135.4 mg Fe kg soil-1,120.8 mg Fe kg soil-1.