EFFICIENCY OF BIO AND CHEMICAL FERTILIZATION IN
PRESENCE OF HUMIC ACID ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF
CARAWAY
Gomaa, A .O.
By
and
Youssef, A.S.M.
Hort. Dept. , Fac. Agric., Moshtohor, Benha University , Egypt.
ABSTRACT
Two field trials were carried out during 2005/2006 and 2006/2007
seasons at the Experimental Farm of Agric Fac., Benha Univ., to study the
effect of bio-fertilization, chemical fertilization and humic acid on vegetative
growth, seed yield, essential oil and its main components as well as chemical
constituents of caraway plants. Treatments were; control (without fertilization),
full bio-fertilization applications methods as seed soaking, soil drench and seed
soaking+soil drench and control (without fertilization), full chemical
fertilization, full humic acid and half chemical+ humic acid.
The most important results can be summarized as follows.
All application methods of bio-fertilizer (seed soaking, soil drench and
seed soaking+soil drench) significantly succeeded in enhancing all the studied
traites of caraway plants i.e., plant height, stem diameter, number, fresh and dry
weights of branches/plant, number, fresh and dry weights of leaves/plant,
number of umbels/plant, seed yield/plant, seeds oil percentage, total
chlorophylls (a&b), carotenoides and total carbohydrates, especially with the
seed soaking+soil drench treatment.
Additionally, all the studied treatments of chemical fertilization and
humic acid improved all the studied traites of caraway plants when compared
with untreated plants (control) in both seasons. However, the treatment of half
chemical+ humic acid statistically produced the highest values of the most
studied parameters as compared with the other treatments. GLC analyses for oil
components revealed the presence each of Carvone , Hydrocarbons, Limonene,
Carveol, Dihydrocarvone, Y-Terpinene and Linalool in the volatile oil of
caraway seeds and exhibited that all the tested treatments succeeded in
increasing the main component of the volatile oil (Carvone) especially in plants
fertilized with half chemical fertilization+humic acid enriched with bio-fertilizer
at the seed soaking+soil drench treatment. Generally, bio- fertilization with
chemical fertilization and humic acid can minimize chemical NPK fertilizers to
half of the used dose, so decreases the environmental pollution, saves the high
cost of chemical fertilization and produces high essential oil quality.
Conclusively, it is preferable to fertilizer caraway plants with the treatment of
half chemical fertlization + humic acid combined with bio-fertilizer as seed
soaking+soil drench to achieve the best results regarding vegetative growth,
seed yield, seed essential oil % and chemical composition of caraway plant.
Key words.
Caraway, fertilization ( bio and chemical), humic acid, vegetative growth, seed yield, essential oil.
1
INTRODUCTION
Caraway (Carum carvi, L.) plants is a perennial plant, belongs to Family
Umbilliferae, many species of the Family Umbilliferae usually used in dried state or as fresh
herb, as a household remedies or as medicinal ingredients. Among those Family Umbilliferae
plants, aromatic plants containing volatile oils represent an important source of the national
income of Egypt for local consumption and export. One of the most important plants
containing volatile oil is caraway fruits and its oil is used medicinally as carminatives, mild
stomachic, antispasmodic, as a tonic in the treatment digestive disorders. Dried fruits are
widely employed for flavoring bread, cake confectionery cheese and kinds of food products.
The odor and flavor of medicinal seed plants are due to its essential oil (Guenther, 1961).
Recently, unconventional efforts are used to minimize the amounts of chemical
fertilizers which applied to medicinal and aromatic plants in order to reduce production cost
and environmental pollution without reduction of yield. Therefore, the trend now is to
introduce nitrogen fixing gene into the plant or inoculation of seed with associative N fixing
bacteria .
Bio-fertilizers are reasonably safer to the environment than chemical fertilizers and play
an important role in decreasing the use of chemical fertilizers. Consequently, it causes a
reduction in environmental pollution. Soil inoculation with micro organisms may lead to
increase soil available nitrogen and consequently increase formation of metabolites which
encourage the plant vegetative growth and enhance the meristematic activity of tissues to
produce more branches. Also, N-fixers synthesize stimulatory compounds such as
gibberellins, cytokinins and IAA that act as growth regulators (Sperenat, 1990 and
Dadarwal et al., 1997).
Several workers studied the response of various medicinal and aromatic plants to
nitrogen-fixing bacteria. The role of bio-fertilizers containing symbiotic or non symbiotic
nitrogen-fixing bacteria in augmenting vegetative growth characters, yield and yield
components, essential oil productivity and/or chemical composition (including chlorophyll a,
b and carotenoids and/or N, P and K leaf percent and content) was revealed by Kandeel et
al., (2001) on fennel, Nofal et al., (2001) on Ammi visnaga, Abdou and El-Sayed (2002) on
caraway, Safwat and Badran (2002) on cumin, Abd El-Kader and Ghaly (2003) on
coriander, Badran and Safwat (2004) on fennel.
Many studies were executed to explore the effectiveness of phosphorein bio-fertilizer
(phosphate dissolving bacteria) on different vegetative growth traits, seed yield and essential
oil productivity of some medicinal plants. In this respect, Soliman (1997); Ibrahim (2000);
Abd El-Kader and Ghaly (2003); Badran et al., (2003) and Abdou et al., (2004), they
showed that phosphorein bio-fertilizer succeeded in enhancing vegetative growth parameters,
seed yield and essential oil productivity of Nigella sativa , fennel , coriander , anise and
fennel plants, respectively.
Many researchers have reported the nutritional requirements of macronutrients for
some plants. in this concern, Al-Fayyad et al., (2002) on Colchicum spp, Thomas et al.,
(2002) on Curcuma longa, Kozera and Nowak (2004) on Silybum marianum, Ashorabadi et
al., (2003) on Foeniculum vulgare, Lee et al., (2005) on Chrysanthemum boreale and
Niakan et al., (2004) on Mentha piperita. They concluded that NPK fertilizers had an
important physiological and biochemical functions on structure of photosynthetic pigments,
metabolism of carbohydrates and protein. These effects were observed with significant
increase in vegetative growth, seed yield and essential oil content of the different plant
species. The nutritional requirements of (NPK) for Umbilliferae Family and other plants were
reported by many researchers. In this concern, El-Sakov et al., (2001) worked on some
medicinal and aromatic plants, Kozera and Nowak (2004) on Silybum marianum,
Ashorabadi et al., (2003) on Foeniculum vulgare, Niakan et al., (2004) on Mentha piperita ,
2
Lee et al., (2005) on Chrysanthemum boreale, Gomaa and youssef (2007); on fennel and
lovage plants concluded that NPK fertilizers had an important physiological and biochemical
functions on structure of photosynthetic pigments, metabolism of carbohydrates and protein
and these effects were observed with significant increase in growth, vegetative and seed yield
and essential oil content of the different plant species.
Many investigators indicated that humic acid as an organic fertilizer could be applied
as fertilizers, conditioners or both together. Humic acid materials increase soil organic matter,
particularly for the sandy soils in Egypt, and hence improve the physical, chemical and
biological properties. Consequently, the availability of nutrients for plants as well as soil
characteristics should be improved, El-Ghozoli (2003) on faba bean plants; El-Ghanam and
El-Ghozoli (2006); Sayed et al., (2007) on valencia orange and El-Sharkawy (2007) on
guava.
The present study is conducted to measure the usefulness of supplementing biofertilization with nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium mineral besides, humic acid materials
on growth, yield and essential oil of caraway plants and to minimize consuming chemical
fertilizers
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Two field experiments were conducted at the Experimental Farm and in the Laboratory
of Horticulture Department Faculty of Agriculture at Moshtohor, Benha Univ., during
2005/2006 and 2006/2007 seasons to study the influence of bio-fertilization, chemical
fertilization and humic acid and their combinations on vegetative growth, seed yield ,
essential oil productivity and some chemical constituents of caraway plants.
Caraway seeds were obtained from Floriculture Farm, Horticulture Department, Faculty
of Agriculture, Benha Univ. Seeds were sown in clay loam soils on mid November in both
seasons in plots (1x1 m) containing two rows (50 cm. inbetween) every row contains two hills
(50 cm. apart).
Mechanical and chemical analyses of the experimental soils are presented in Tables
(a) and (b), mechanical analysis was estimated according to Jackson, (1973), whereas
chemical analysis was estimated according to Black et al., (1982).
Table (a): Mechanical analysis of the experimental soil.
Parameters
Unit
Coarse sand
Fine sand
Silt
Clay
Textural class
%
%
%
%
------
Seasons
2005/2006
5.28
15.97
27.66
51.09
Clay loam
2006/2007
5.54
16.63
25.72
52.11
Clay loam
Table (b): Chemical analysis of the experimental soil:
Parameters
CaCO3
Organic matter
Available nitrogen
Available phosphorus
Available potassium
E-C
pH
Seasons
Unit
2005/2006
1.97
1.97
0.81
0.51
0.70
1.33
7.65
%
%
%
%
%
M mhos/cm
--------------
3
2006/2007
2.11
2.10
0.89
0.57
0.85
1.53
7.73
Bio-fertilizer treatments.
Caraway seed were inoculated with a mixture of nitrobein + phosphorien contained
efficient strains of nitrogen fixing bacteria namely, Azotobacter chroococcum + phosphate
dissolving bacteria (Bacillus megaterium var phosphaticum) which supplied by the
Department of Microbiology, Agric.Res.Center, Giza was used in this study as biological
activators. The strains were characterized by a good ability to infect its specific host plant and
by its high efficiency in N-fixation and phosphate solublizing.
Bio-fertilizer treatments were applied by three methods as follow:
1- Seed soaking: Seeds of caraway plants were washed with water and air-dried, thereafter the
seeds were soaked in cell suspension of the mixture of nitrobein and phosphorien (1ml
contains 108 viable cell) for 30 min. Gum arabic (16 %) was added as an adhesive agent prior
to soaking. The inoculated seeds were air dried at room temperrture for one hour before
sowing.
2- Soil drench: the plants received the suspension of bio-fertilizer three times after 30, 45 and
60 days from planting as a soil drench at the rate of 1000 g per fed.
3- Seeds soaking " as in the first method " + soil drench " as in the second method ".
Chemical fertilizer treatment.
The plants were fertilized with full chemical fertilizer as a recommended dose;
nitrogen fertilizer (NH4 NO3) was added at the rate of 90 Kg N/fed., calcium superphosphate
(15.5 % P2O5) was added at the rate of 30 Kg P2O5 and potassium sulphate (48.5 % K2O) at
the rate of 60 Kg K2O/fed. as it added in three equal doses at 30, 45 and 60 days after sowing
(El-Khyat and Zaghloul, 1999).
Humic acid treatment.
The plants received humic acid treatment i.e. 2g/L three times after 35, 50 and 65 days
from planting as a soil drench (1L/plant). Humic acid was obtained from soil, water and
Environment Research Institute, Agric. Research Center, Giza, Egypt.
Elementary analysis of humic acid.
Elementary analysis of purified humic acid was carried out in order to determine the
percentage of total carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur (Table, c). total organic
carbon of humic acid sample was determined using potassium dichromate method and
O-phenanthroline as an indicator (Jackson, 1973). Total nitrogen was determined by the use
of micro Kjeldahl method (Sposito et al., 1976). Hydrogen was determined using dry
combustion, it was oxidized to water which was absorbed by calcium chloride and weighed
(Karrer, 1950). Sulfur was determined using barium chloranilate method (Beaton et al.,
1968). Oxygen was calculated by difference (Goh and Stevenson, 1971).
Table (c): Elementary composition of humic acid extracted from biogas manure.
C
N
C/N
H
O
S
C/H
C/O
O/H
%
%
ratio
%
%
%
ratio ratio ratio
49.6
1.85
26.8
7.15
37.3
4.1
6.93
1.33
5021
N/H
ratio
0.26
Experimental layout.
This experiment was set up in a split plot design with three replicates. The main plot
was assigned by four bio-fertilizer treatments (1000 g per fed.) i.e. control (without biofertilizer), seed soaking, soil drench and seed soaking + soil drench, whereas, the sub plot
was devoted to four treatments i.e., control (without chemical fertilizers or humic acid), full
chemical fertilization; full humic acid and half chemical fertlization+ humic acid.
4
Data recorded.
At the beginning of flowering stage, the following measurements were recorded; plant
height (cm.), stem diameter (cm.) number, fresh and dry weights of branches/plant (g),
number, fresh and dry weights of leaves/plant (g), besides total chlorophylls (a&b) and
carotenoides were determined in the fresh leaves of caraway plants after one month from the
last treatment according to the method described by A.O.A.C. (1980). The percentage of
N,P,K, and total carbohydrates was determined in the dry leaves during flowering
stage,where total nitrogen were determined using the modified MicroKieldahl method
according to A.O.A.C. (1980). While total carbohydrates percent was determined according
to Dubois et al., (1956). At harvesting time the following measurements were recorded;
number of umbels, seed yield per plant (g.), seed oil percentage. The essential oil of each
treatment was extracted by hydro-distillation according to Guenther (1961). The GLC
analysis of the oil was carried out using Gas chromatograph, (Hewlett packard GC. Model
5890) equipped with a flame ionization detector (FID). A fused silica capillary (HP-5), (30 m
length x 0.53 mm internal diameter (i.d.) x 0.88 um film thickness) , was used for the
separation in the GC. The identification of the different constituents was achieved by
comparing their retention times with those of the authentic samples.
Statistical analysis.
The obtained data in both seasons of study were subjected to analysis of variance as a
factorial experiment in split plot design. L.S.D. method was used to difference means
according to Snedecor and Cochran (1989).
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
I- Effect of bio and chemical fertilization in presence of humic acid on
vegetative measurements of caraway plants
I-1- Plant height (cm).
The results in Table (1) clarify that all chemical and organic treatments i.e., full
chemical, humic acid and half chemical+ humic acid statistically increaed plant height of
caraway plants in both seasons, and the superiority was for full chemical fertilizer. In
addition, all application methods of bio-fertilizer i.e., seed soaking (ss), soil drench (sd) and
seed soaking+soil drench (ss+sd) succeeded in increasing plant height, especially the
application method of ss+sd. However, all combinations between the studied factors increased
plant height when compared with control. In this respect, the combined treatment between full
chemical fertilizer and bio-fertilizer applied by ss+sd method gave the highest values of plant
height in both seasons. These results are in agreement with El-Khyat and Zaghloul (1999)
on caraway, Kandeel (2004) on Ocimum basilicum, El-Sayed et al., (2002) on spearmint and
majoran Niakan et al., (2004) on Mentha piperitea; Mostafa (2006) on chamomile plants;
El-Maadawy (2007) on Amaranthus tricolor, Gomaa and youssef (2007) on fennel plants
and Badran et al., (2007) on cumin.
I-2- Stem diameter (cm).
Data in Table (1) show that all treatments of chemical,organic, bio-fertilizer and their
combinations affected caraway stem diameter in both seasons. However, the highest values of
stem diameter was obtained by using the combined treatments between half chemical+ humic
acid enriched with bio-fertilizer applied by sd method in both seasons as compared with other
combination and control. The aforementioned results of stem diameter was in parallel with
those obtained by El-Khyat and Zaghloul (1999) on caraway; Kandeel (2004) on Ocimum
basilicum; Niakan et al., (2004) on Mentha piperita; El-Sayed et al., (2002) on spearmint
5
and majoran; El-Maadawy (2007) on Amaranthus tricolor; El-Maadawy and Moursy
(2007) on jojoba; Gomaa and youssef (2007) on fennel and Badran et al., (2007) on cumin.
I-3- Branch parameters.
Data presented in Table (2) indicated that all tested treatments of chemical and
organic fertilizer improved branches parameters of caraway i.e., number, fresh and dry
weights of branches per plant as compared with control in both seasons and the superiority of
half chemical + humic acid treatment. Also, all application methods of bio-fertilizer led to
enhancement branches parameters especially the application method of ss+sd in case of the
number, fresh weight of branches per plant, whereas the dry weight of branches per plant the
application method of sd showed its superiority in this concern. Generally, all combinations
between all the studied variables increased the values of branches parameters in both seasons.
Generally, the combinations of half chemical+ humic acid treatment showed to be the most
effective one for inducing the highest values of branches parameters, followed in descending
order by the combinations of full chemical treatment. These results are in agreement with ElKhyat and Zaghloul (1999) on caraway; Kandeel (2004) on Ocimum basilicum; El-Sayed
et al., (2002) on spearmint and majoran; Niakan et al., (2004) on Mentha piperitea; Mostafa
(2006) on chamomile plants; El-Maadawy (2007) on Amaranthus tricolor; Gomaa and
youssef (2007) on fennel and Badran et al., (2007) on cumin.
I-4- Leaf parameters.
Data in Table (3) reveal that leaf parameters i.e., number, fresh and dry weights of
leaves per plant were greatly increased by using all tested treatments of chemical and organic
fertilizer especially the treatment of full chemical fertilizer followed by the treatment of half
chemical + humic acid with non-significant differences between them in both seasons.
Additionally, the application method of ss + sd showed to be the most pronounced one for
producing the highest values of leaf parameters in both seasons. However, all tested
combinations between chemical, organic and bio-fertilizer succeeded in improving leaf
parameters in both seasons. Generally, the highest values of number and fresh weight of
leaves per plant were obtained by using the combined treatment between the full dose of
chemical fertilizer and bio-fertilizer applied by ss+sd method, whereas the heaviest dry
weight of leaves was recorded by using the treatment of full dose of chemical fertilizer
accompanied with bio-fertilizer applied by ss method. The aforementioned results of
vegetative growth measurements i.e. number, fresh and dry weights of leaves are in parallel
with those obtained by Kandeel (2004) on Ocimum basilicum; Niakan et al., (2004) on
Mentha piperitea; El-Sayed et al., (2002) on spearmint and majoran; Mostafa (2006) on
chamomile plants; Gomaa and youssef (2007) on fennel and Badran et al., (2007) on cumin.
II- Fruit measurements.
Data in Table (4) indicate that all tested treatments of fertilizer statistically affected
seed (fruit) parameters i.e., number of umbels per plant, seeds yield per plant and seeds oil
percentage in both seasons. In this respect, the treatment of half chemical + humic acid
scored the highest values in these parameters, followed in descending order by the treatment
of full chemical fertilizer. In addition, all application methods of bio-fertilizer significantly
increased the number of umbels per plant, seed yield per plant and seed oil percentage with
superior for the application method of ss+sd in both seasons. However, all combinations
between chemical and organic fertilizer and application methods of bio-fertilizer resulted in
highly increments in the number of umbels per plant, seeds yield per plant and seeds oil
percentage particularly the combinations of half chemical fertilizer + humic acid in both
seasons. In general, the highest values of the above-mentioned parameters were registered by
6
using the combined treatment between half chemical fertilizer + humic acid and bio-fertilizer
applied by ss+sd method. These results are in accordance with the findings of El-Khyat and
Zaghloul (1999) on caraway; Ashorabadi et al., (2003) on Foeniculum vulgare plant and
Gomaa and youssef (2007) on fennel and Badran et al., (2007) on cumin.
II-4- Gas chromatograms of caraway seeds volatile oil distilled as affected by different
fertilization treatments of NPK, humic acid and bio-fertilizer.
Data in Table (5) and illustrated in Figs (1 to 16) clearly indicate that GLC analysis of
the volatile oil of seed caraway revealed the presence of Carvone, Hydrocarbons, Limonene,
Carveol, Dihydrocarvone, Y-Terpinene and Linalool in all treatments. However, the main
component of caraway seed volatile oil was Carvone. The lowest value of Carvone was
observed in the control treatment as well as the highest recored of Carvone was obtained by
the combined treatment between half chemical + humic acid enriched with bio-fertilizer
applied by ss+sd method followed by the combined treatment between half chemical + humic
acid supplemented with bio-fertilizer applied by sd method. These results are in accordance
with the findings of Franz (1981), Cuellar et al., (1984), Malinsskas et al., (1985) and
Hassan (1992) on chamomile plants ; Balbaa and Talaat (2007) on rosemary plants; Gomaa
and youssef (2007) on fennel and Badran et al., (2007) on cumin.
III- Chemical composition determinations.
Data in Tables (6 and 7) show that all investigated treatments gave an appreciable
increments in leaf total chlorophylls (a and b), carotenoids, total carbohydrates, N, P, and K
contents in both seasons as compared with control. In this concern, all tested treatments of
chemical and organic fertilizer significantly increased the afore-said parameters. Meantime,
the treatment of half chemical + humic acid statistically induced the highest values of total
chlorophylls (a and b), carotenoids, total carbohydrates, whereas the highest records of leaf
N, P, and k content was observed by using the treatment of full chemical fertilizer. According
to the effect of application methods of bio-fertilizer, it was found that the application method
of ss + sd was effective to increase chemical composition determinations of caraway plants in
comparison with the other methods. In general, all resulted combinations between the tested
factors statistically increased leaf total chlorophylls (a and b), carotenoids, total
carbohydrates, N, P, and K contents. However, the highest values of total chlorophylls (a and
b), carotenoids, total carbohydrates were recorded by using the combined treatment between
half chemical fertilizer + humic acid , whereas the greatest leaf N, P, and K content was
registered by using the combined treatment between full chemical fertilizer and bio-fertilizer
applied by ss + sd method. These results are in accordance with the findings of El-Khyat and
Zaghloul (1999) on caraway; Kandeel (2004) on Ocimum basilicum; Niakan et al., (2004)
on Mentha piperitea; El-Sayed et al., (2002) on spearmint and majoran; Mostafa (2006) on
chamomile; El-Maadawy (2007) on Amaranthus tricolor; El-Maadawy and Moursy (2007)
on jojoba; Gomaa and youssef (2007) on fennel; Badran et al., (2007) on cumin and Helal
(2007) on sweet pea.
DISCUSSION
1-Effect of chemical fertilization.
To interperete and evaluate the influence of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium,
concerned in this work , on improving the different tested vegetative growth parameters, yield
component parameters and essential oil productivity of caraway plants , it was necessary to
refer to the physiological roles of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in plant growth and
development. Such three macronutrient elements are the common elements usually included
in fertilizers (Cooke, 1982). Plant supplement with these macronutrients in form of fertilizers
is important because the soil is usually in deficient of them due to plant removal leaching or
7
they are not readily available for plants. Therefore , such addition of well balanced NPK
fertilization quantities insured production of high fruit and oil yield of caraway plants.
Nitrogen is essential for plant growth and development as a constituent of many amino
acids, enzymes and energy transfer materials such as chlorophyll, ADP and ATP.Growing
plants must have nitrogen to form new cells and the rate of growth then becomes very nearly
proportional to the rate at which nitrogen is supplied. Photosynthesis can produce soluble
sugars from CO2 and H2O but the process can not go on to the production of proteins. Thus, a
severe shortage of nitrogen will halt the processes of growth and reproduction, (Bidwell,
1974). Besides, supplying the plants with adequate quantities of N at right time tends to
increase cell number and cell size with an overall increase in the vegetative growth production
(Thompsond and Troch, 1975).
Phosphorus which has been called the key to life is essential for cell division and for
development of meristimmatic tissues and it is very important for carbohydrate transformation
due to multitude of phosphorylation reaction and to energy rich phosphate bond (Lambers et
al., 2000). Phosphorus in the cell becomes united with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen
and other elements to form complex organic molecules. Cells can not divide unless there is
adequate phosphorus to form the extra nucleus, so phosphorus deficiency causes stunting ,
delayed maturity and shriveled seeds. Phosphorus compounds are also essential for
photosynthesis, the inter conversion of carbohydrates and related glycolysis, amino acid
metabolism, fat metabolism and biological oxidation. Lack of phosphorus, therefore hampers
metabolic processes, such as the conversion of sugars into starch and cellulose (Devlin, 1972).
Potassium is important for growth and elongation probably due to its function as an
osmoticum and may react synergistically with IAA. Moreover, it promotes CO2 assimilation
and translocation of carbohydrates from the leaves to storage tissues (Mengel and Kirkby,
1987).
The role of NPK fertilization on promoting vegetative growth characters, enhancing
yield component parameters and increasing fruit yield and oil yield production as well as
stimulating the photosynthetic pigments and nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content of
caraway plants could be explained by recognizing their fundamental involvement in the very
large number of enzymatic reaction that depend onNPK fertilization . NPK reflected directly
on increasing the content of chlorophyll a,b and carotenoids as well as NPK % and content in
the leaves were indirectly the cause for enhancing the augmenting of all other vegetative
growth traits, yield components and finally fruit as well as oil yield production of caraway
plants.
2-Effect of bio-fertilization.
A- N-fixing bacteria:
The use of N-fixing bacteria (netrobein) as a bio-fertilizer product containing nitrogen
fixing bacteria, e.g. Azotobacter and Azospirillum was found to have not only the ability to
fix nitrogen but also to release certain phytohormones of gibberellins and indolic nature which
could enhance plant growth absorption of nutrients and so on photosynthesis process (Hegde
et al., 1999) Microorganisms used as bio-fertilizers may affect their host plant by one
mechanism or more such as nitrogen fixation production of growth promoting substances or
organic acids, enhancing nutrients uptake or protection against plant pathogens (Hawaka,
2000) Also, N-fixers synthesize stimulatory compounds such as, gibberellins, cytokinins and
IAA. They act as growth regulators, which increased the surface area per unit of root length
and were responsible for root hair branching with an eventual increase in the uptake of
nutrients from the soil (Sperenat, 1990 and Dadarwal et al., 1997).
8
B- Phosphate dissolving bacteria.
The use of Phosphate dissolving bacteria (phosophorein) as a bio-fertilizer product
containing very active phoshphate dissolving bactcria has proved is efficiency in enhancing
different aspects of plant growth and development of many plant species including medicinal
and aromatic plants. Establishment of astrong root system is related to the level of available
phosphate in the soil (Abou El-Hassan el al., 1993). phosphate dissolvers or vesicular
arbuscular mycorrhizae and silica bacteria are capable of converting tricalcium phosphate to
monocalcium phosphate ready for plant nutrition (El-Gibaly et al., 1997; Ali et al., 1987;
Abd-Alla 1998 and Hawaka, 2000). Phosphate also increased mineral uptake and water use
efficiency (El-Awag et al., 1993).Under the Egyptian soil conditions, Abo El-Nour et al.,
(1996) and El-Sheekh, (1997) mentioned that using phosphorein with or instead of mineral –
P apparently increased the available phosphate fertilizer concentration in the soil and plants.
3- Effect of organic fetilizers (humic acid).
When organic manures added as a fertilizer, it led to decrease soil pH which in turn
increasing solubility of nutrients for plant uptake, in some cases organic materials may act as
low release fertilizer. Recently, on the way of sustainable agriculture with minimum effects,
the use of humic acid as natural soil amendments is recommended to replace the soluble
chemical fertilizers. They improve the structure of weak-structured sandy soils and increase
their water holding capacity. Also, they improve soil fertility, and stimulate root development,
induce active biological conditions and enhancing activities of micro-organisms especially
those involved in mineralization (Graves et al., 2004).
It has been shown that humic acid can produce materials that may affect plant growth
such as substances acting as plant hormone analogues or growth regulators. Also, increasing
microbial populations resulting from humic acid activity in the soil may have influenced plant
growth indirectly. Soils treated with humic acid had a significantly greater microbial biomass
than soils that received inorganic fertilizer only. There is a very substantial body of evidence
demonstrating that microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, yeasts, actinomycetes and algae
resulting from humic acid are capable of producing plant growth regulators (PGRs) such as
auxins, gibberellins, cytokinins, ethylene and abscisic acid in appreciable quantities
(Frankenberger and Arshad, 1995).
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13
‫الملخص العربي‬
‫تأثير التسميد الحيوي والكيماوي في وجود حمض الهيوميك‬
‫علي نمو ومحصول الكراوية‬
‫أنور عثمان جمعة و أحمد سعيد محمد يوسف‬
‫قسم البساتين – كلية الزراعة – جامعة بنها – مصر‬
‫أجريت هذه الدراسة بمزرعة الزينة بقسم البساتين كلية الزراعة جامعة بنها خالل عاامي‬
‫‪ 5002/5002 & 5002/5002‬وذلاال لدراسااة تاال ير ك ا ماان التسااميد الويااحت تواات مسااتحيا‬
‫مختلفة مان التساميد الييمااوت وحما الهيحميال علاي وماح واوتاجياة اليراوياة حياس تام اساتخدا‬
‫الث طرق اضافة من التسميد الويحت وضعت في القطع الرئيسية (‪ )Main plot‬باإلضاافة الاي‬
‫معاملة الينترول وأيضا أربع معاامال مان التساميد الييمااوت وحما الهيحميال باإلضاافة الاي‬
‫معاملة الينترول حيس وضعت في القطع توت المنشقة (‪.)Sub plot‬‬
‫وتتلخص أهم النتائج المتحصل عليها فيما يلي‪:‬‬
‫ك معامال التسميد الويحت (معاملة وقع البذور قب الزراعة ومعاملة اضافة الي التربة‬
‫بجحار النبا ومعاملة وقع البذور قب الزراعة مع اضافة الي التربة بجحار النبا ) أد الي‬
‫توسين ك القراءا توت الدراسة لنبا اليراوية خاصة معاملة وقع البذور قب الزراعة مع‬
‫اإلضافة الي التربة بجحار النبا كما وجد أن جميع معامال التسميد الييماوت وحم‬
‫الهيحميل قد حسنت من صفا النمح لنبا اليراوية وذلل بالمقاروة بمعاملة الينترول‪.‬‬
‫كما أوضوت النتائج أن معاملة التسميد (وصف جرعة التسميد الييماوت‪+‬وصف جرعة‬
‫حم الهيحميل ) أعطت أكبر القيم بالنسبة للقياسا توت الدراسة وذلل عند المقاروة بباقي‬
‫المعامال ‪ .‬وبصفة عامة فإن استخدا التسميد الويحت والييماوت وحم الهيحميل يمين أن‬
‫يقل من استخدا التسميد الييماوت الي النصف وبذلل يقل من تلحث البيئة باإلضافة الي تقلي‬
‫التيلفة العالية وتيجة استخدا السماد الييماوت مع اعطاء جحدة عالية وزيادة اوتاجية النباتا من‬
‫البذور والزيت الطيار‪.‬‬
‫كما بينت وتائج التولي بحاسطة جهاز (‪ )GLC‬للزيت الطيار لبذور وباتا اليراوية‬
‫‪Carvone , Hydrocarbons, Limonene, Carveol,‬‬
‫اآلتية‪:‬‬
‫وجحد الميحوا‬
‫‪ Dihydrocarvone, Y-Terpinene and Linalool‬كما وجد أن جميع المعامال أد الي زيادة‬
‫النسبة المئحية لمركب ‪ Carvone‬في الزيت الطيار لبذور وبا اليراوية‪.‬‬
‫وبناء علي وتائج هذه الدراسة فإوه يحصي تسميد وباتا اليراوية بالمعاملة المختلطة بين‬
‫التسميد الويحت (وقع البذور قب الزراعة مع اإلضافة الي التربة بجحار النبا ) مع (وصف‬
‫جرعة التسميد الييماوت ‪ +‬جرعة حم الهيحميل) للوصحل علي أفض النتائج وأفض جحدة‬
‫للنمح الخضرت وموصحل البذرة والزيت الطيار والموتحت الييماوت لنباتا اليراوية‪.‬‬
‫‪14‬‬