Aref, Elham M. ;Azza A. M. Abd El-All ; kh. A. H. Shaban and
R. M. El-Shahat
( 2009). Effect of azolla and cyanobacteria as biofertlizer on barley cultivated in saline soilJ. Agric. Sci. Mansoura Univ., 34 (12): 11599 - 11610, 2009
Abstract: Both the nitrogen fixing, plant growth promoting Azolla pinnata and a mixture of two cyanobacteria strains viz. Nostoc muscorum and Anabaena oryzae commonly used in rice cultivation were applied in a field trial for barely. The experiment was conducted at South El- Hossinia Res. farm Station, El-Sharkia Governorate, Agric. Res. Center (ARC), Egypt, at the winter season of 2007/08. The trial was to study the effect of Azolla (fresh, dry and as extract as foliar spray) and cyanobacteria as suspension for seed soaking and filtrate for spray treatments as well as urea (46.5%N) as nitrogen fertilizer on growth, yield and yield components of barley (Hordum vulgare) cultivated in saline soil (EC: 23.5 dSm-1). Also, to study their effect on some soil characteristics (chemical properties and biological activity). Results revealed that the highest organic matter per cent was due to the use of dry Azolla (1.35) (T3). All tested biofertilizer treatments decreased both EC and pH compared to the control treatment. Foliar spray by both Azolla and cyanobacteria as foliar spray plus 100% N as urea (T9) gave the highest soil available N, P and K values. The treatment (T9) of A. pinnata and cyanobacteria applied as foliar spray gave also the highest values of all soil biological activity parameters. Results also exhibited a favorite influence of foliar application for both Azolla and cyanobacteria (T9), since it gave significantly higher barely yield, yield components and N,P and K contents of both grains and straw compared to the other biofertilizer treatments and control (100% N). However, based on the present study it may be of beneficial to use Azolla and cyanobacteria as foliar spray plus mineral N fertilizer for barley plants.
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