Effect of some natural soil amendments on biological nitrogen fixation, growth and green yield of pea plants grown on sandy soils

Abstract EN

A Field experiment was conducted on a sandy soil at Ismailia Agricultural Research Station to study the effect of a natural soil amendment (organic compost at rates of 5 and 7.5 ton/fed) with and without two elemental sources for each of P (superphosphat and rock phosphate) and K (potassium sulfate and feldspars) on growth, yield and nutrients content of pea plants under drip irrigation system.

Obtained results showed that addition of organic compost led to a significant increased for the nodular tissue, plant height and plant dry matter.

The highest values of growth parameters were obtained in case of organic compost application in combination with chemical or natural sources of P and K.

Green yield of pea (eatable parts) exhibited high response to organic compost and P-K sources addition, particularly at organic compost level of 7.5 ton/fed.

Also, the applied natural sources of P and K gave an almost similar trend to that obtained with the chemical ones combined with the organic compost.

As for macronutrients of N, P and K concentrations in plant organs, data revealed that their contents in the green yield behaved a similar trend with that obtained at the vegetative growth.

Finally, It can be concluded from the obtained results that using of enriched organic compost combined with natural rock (in powder form) or mineral sources for plant nutrients may be a suitable alternative system for reducing the heavy using of chemical fertilizers, particularly with legume plants that relay on symbiotic nitrogen fixation.