ROLE OF BIOFERTILIZERS IN IMPROVING COWPEA PRODUCTIVITY CULTIVATED IN SANDY SOIL

Sonya Hamouda Mohamed; Mohamed Mohsen El-Kholi; Sayed Ahmed El-Tohamy; Bakr Abdel-Galil Abdel-Wahab; Amani Mostafa Ahmed; Gehan Mohamed  Salem; Gamal Abdel-Fattah Ahmed Mekhemar; Heba Belal Abdel-Samie Kandil; Rabab Abdallah Abdel-Naser Amer; Rasha Atef Shoman; Alaaeldin Abdel-Hamid Abo El-Soud

doi:10.34016/pjbt.2023.20.01.668

Authors

Sonya Hamouda Mohamed Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt
Mohamed Mohsen El-Kholi Department of Environment, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt.
Sayed Ahmed El-Tohamy Department of Environment, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt.
Bakr Abdel-Galil Abdel-Wahab Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt.
Amani Mostafa Ahmed Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt
Gehan Mohamed Salem Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt
Gamal Abdel-Fattah Ahmed Mekhemar Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt
Heba Belal Abdel-Samie Kandil Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt
Rabab Abdallah Abdel-Naser Amer Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt
Rasha Atef Shoman Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt
Alaaeldin Abdel-Hamid Abo El-Soud Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environmental Research Institute, Agricultural Research Centre, P.O. Box, 12619, Giza, Egypt

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34016/pjbt.2023.20.01.668

Keywords:

Forage cowpea, Organic fertilizer, Biochar, Biofertilizers, Bradyrhizobium sp. (Vigna), actinomycetes, Cotton, Heterotic, Hirsutum, Yield, Crodueprotein

Abstract

Cowpea is one of the fast-growing legume crops during the summer and is well suited to the summer environmental conditions in Egypt. In addition, it is a high-quality crop for feeding sheep and cattle, also very important fodder for dairy cows. In this study, an experiment was designed to evaluate the effect of biofertilizers on cowpea productivity cultivated under sandy soil conditions at Ismailia Governorate. To reach such aim, an identified Streptomyces strain was used with a mixture of biochar, and organic fertilizer in several different treatments compared to bradyrhizobia. The experiment was carried out at the Ismailia Research Station, ARC. Results showed that the number of nodules at the 2^nd cutting was always higher than that of the 1^st cutting. No results were recorded indicating the presence of root nodules in cowpea plants to which bradyrhizobia was not added. Results showed that the fresh weight of cowpea plants under investigation as shown in the 16 treatments was inconsistent and reflects the importance of biofertilizers. Percentages of nitrogen and crude protein among two cutting of cowpea plants cultivated under showed that the 2^nd cut was always higher in the percentage of crude protein than the 1^st cut. Treatment T16 containing bradrhizobia and actinomycetes as biofertilizers, organic fertilizer, low concentration of nitrogen fertilizer and biochar appeared the highest fresh weight per Feddan compared to all treatments. Results of the yield (Ton/Fed) of dry weight of the cowpea plants has become in the same trend as the results of fresh weight. As a conclusion, treatment coded T16 which containing Bradyrhizobiumsp. (Vigna)and actinomycetes as biofertilizers, organic fertilizer, low concentration of nitrogen fertilizer and biochar appeared the highest levels of no. of nodules, nodules dry weight, fresh and dry weights of cowpea shoots, percentage of crude protein and yield of fresh and dry weight (Ton/Feddan).