Response of nephrolepis exalt at a schott. Plant to medium type and nitrobien biofertilization

Abstract EN

A series of pot experiments was conducted under saran house at the nursery of Hort.

Res.

Inst., ARC, Giza, Egypt throughout the seasons of 2007 and 2008 to find out the effect of planting in six types of media (sand, clay, peat moss, spent mushroom compost, as well as the mixtures of sand + clay + peat moss and sand + ciay + spent mushroom compost, at 1:1:1 by volume) and monthly fertilization with 0.0 or 5.0 g/pot of nitrobien (a biofertilizaer contain a specific strain of Azotobacter croococcum bacteria) as soil drench and their interactions on survival (%), vegetative and root growth, new plants productivity and chemical composition of 3-months-old transplants of sword fern plant (Nephrologist exaltation, Schott.) grown in 20-cm-diameter plastic pots.

The obtained results exhibited that peat moss medium alone or combined with 5g /pot nitrobien gave the highest values of survival (%), plant height, No.

leaves / plant, root length, aerial parts and roots fresh and dry weights and new plants productivity over all other media.

On the other hand, leaf content of chlorophylls a and b, carotenoids and total carbohydrates was found to be the highest due to cultivating in the mixture of sand + clay + peatmoss, alone or in combination with 5g /pot nitrobien, but for the content of N, P and K, the highest records were gained from planting in sand + clay + spent mushroom compost mixture, individually or coupled with 5g / pot nitrobien.

In general, application of nitrobien maximized vegetative and root growth, production of new plants and active constituents content under various media used in this study.

So, it could be recommended to cultivate the 3-months-old transplants of Nephrolepis exaltata, Schott.

In the pure peatmoss medium drenched monthly with 5g / pot nitrobien biofertilizer.