Yahia I. Mahmoud, Soha S.M. Mostafa and Faten M. Mohamed( 2015). Comparative Evaluation of Biological Treatments and Mineral NPK on Rice
Productivity in Alkaline-Saline Soil
Middle East Journal of Agriculture Research ISSN 2077-4605 Volume : 04 | Issue : 04 | Oct.-Dec. | 2015 Pages: 735-744
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted at Sahl El-Hussinia Station, El-Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, during the summer seasons of 2012 to study the individual and combined effecs of N2-fixing bacteria (Azotobacter chroococcum, Klebsiella pneumonia and Colstridium pastereurianm) and cyanobacteria (Nostoc muscorum, Nostoc humifusum, Anabaena oryzae, Wollea sp, Phormedium sp and Spirulina platensis) compared to Cyanobacterin (commercial bio-product for rice) on growth, yield and yield components of rice (cv-Giza 178). Inoculation with biological treatments positively affected the soil biofertility through enhancing soil biological activity in terms of dehydrogenase and nitrogenase activities which in turn supported the growth of rice plant. The treatment of 75% NPK + N2-fixing bacteria + cyanobacteria recorded the highest plant height, number of panicles/plant, weight of 1000-grain and plant biomass (rice straw and grain yields) compared to the other tested treatments. Also, this treatment increased significantly the total contents of N, P and K in plants. Inoculation with N2-fixing bacteria + cyanobacteria together with 50% mineral NPK level supported rice growth under saline conditions. While, significant enhance of nitrogen fixing potential was recorded by the biological
treatments involving the combination of bacteria-cyanobacteria strains. The treatment of 75% NPK + N2-fixing bacteria + cyanobacteria in increasing the growth and grain yield of rice and improving soil health, besides mineral NPK saved 25 to 50%. The study authenticated the positive effects of co-inoculation with bacterial and
cyanobacterial strains on rice crop production.
Keywords: (PGPR, bacteria, cyanobacteria, Cyanobacterin, rice, saline soil.)
