The Effects of Urea Fertilizer and Azotobacter and Azospirillum on Physiological Charactestis of Maize (Zea mays L.) at Khash, Iran

Subject Areas : Journal of Crop Ecophysiology

عباس  Soleymanifard ¹ (Faculty member, Department of Agriculture, Pyame Noor University, Tehran, Iran)
R.  Naseri ² (Young Researchers and Elite Club, Ilam Branch, Islamic Azad University, Ilam, Iran)

Received: 2014-01-20 Accepted : 2014-09-21 Published : 2014-10-23

Keywords: Seed yield, Urea fertilizer, Protein content, Plant growth promoting bacteria,

Abstract :

To study the effects of urea fertilizer and bio-fertilizers on grain yield and important agronomic traits in maize (Zea mays L. Sc704), a split plot experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in Payame Noor University of Khash Research Field during 2011-2012 cropping season. Four different levels of urea consisting of zero, 25% (equal to 87.5 kg.ha-1), 50% (equal to 175 kg.ha-1) and 100% (equal to 350 kg.ha-1) based on the results of soil analysis were assigned to main plot and bio-fertilzers, including Azotobacter, Azospirillum and non- inoculation, to sub plot. Results indicated that nitrogen fertilizer affected the traits under study significantly. The highest and lowest plant height, the number of seed per ear row, the number of grain per row, ears.m-2, 1000 kernel weight, seed yield, bilogocal yield and seed protein content were obtained by using 100% nitrogen fertilizer and control (zero level of urea) respectively. Using bio-feretlizers also had a significant effect on traits under study. Bio-fertilizer had positive effect on seed yield and yield components. Thus, there was a seed yield increase of 8.4% and 8.2% by using Azotobacter and Azospirillum compared to the non- inoculated seeds, respectively.