Impact of cultivars, bio-fertilizer and n fertilizer levels on nitrogen use efficiency (nue)‎ and yield of wheat (triticum aestivum l.)‎

Abstract EN

Two field experiments were carried out at the Experimental Farm (Ghazala Village), Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 seasons to study the influence of the bio-fertilizer Azotobacter (without and with inoculation) and four N levels (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N/fad.) on nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), yield and its attributes of two bread wheat cultivars (Gemmeiza11 and Misr2).

Results of combined analysis revealed that Misr2 cultivar produced the highest number of spikes per square meter, grain and biological yields compared to Gemmeiza11 which was superior in plant height, spike length, spike grain weight, thousand grain weight and harvest index, as well it was higher in NUE.

Inoculating wheat grains with Azotobacter chroococcun (in commercial form Biogein) before sowing significantly increased studied traits i.e.

Plant height, spike length, spike number/m2 , grain weight/spike, 1000-grain weight, grain and biological yields/fad., and harvest index, but in contrary NUE decreased by Azotobacter inoculation during the two seasons and their combined analysis.

Results of combined analysis also indicated that increasing N application level up to 120 kg N/fad., significantly increased each of plant height, spike length, spike number/m2 , grain weight/ spike, grain and biological yields/ fad., and decreased NUE that responded to N addition up to 80 kg N/fad.

Significant interactions between the studied factors indicated that the addition of Azotobacter increased the response of wheat cultivars to the increase of N level particularly.

According to the results of the interactions between cultivars and Azotobacter, cultivars and N-fertilizer levels and between Azotobacter and N levels, wheat cultivar Misr2 should be fertilized with Azotobacter and 120 kg N/fad., to produce the highest yield.

Moreover, the results showed the significant interaction effect between bio and N fertilizer levels on NUE where the efficiency of N use was higher with Azotobacter inoculation and 80 kg N/fad., in comparison to control and 120 kg N/fad.