EFFECT OF ORGANIC FERTILIZER AND BIOFERTILIZATION ON GROWTH, YIELD AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF MARJORAM PLANTS UNDER NEWLY RECLAIMED SOIL CONDITIONS | ||||
| Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Biotechnology | ||||
| Article 1, Volume 28, Issue 9, September 2003, Page 6957-6973 PDF (733.61 K) | ||||
| Document Type: Original Article | ||||
| DOI: 10.21608/jacb.2003.252955 | ||||
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| Authors | ||||
| E. A. E. El-Ghadban,1; A. M. Ghallab2; A. F. Abdel-Wahab3 | ||||
| 1Medicinal and Aromatic Plant Research Department, Horticultural Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt | ||||
| 2Plant Physiology Division, Agricultural Botany Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt | ||||
| 3Department of Soil Microbiology, Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, ARC Giza, Egypt | ||||
| Abstract | ||||
| Two pot experiments were carried out during two successive seasons 2000 and 2001 to investigate the effect of organic fertilizer (compost) at three rates; 2.5,5 and 7.5 ton/fed. with or without inoculation with mixture of biofertilizers (namely; Azotobacter chroococcum; Azospirillum brasilense and Bacillus polymyxa) compared with the recommended dose of NPK (control) on growth, yield and chemical composition of marjoram plants. Data obtained clearly revealed that plants treated with the highest level of compost (7.5 ton /fed.) either alone or combination of biofertilizers recorded a considerable increments with regard to growth characters, macronutrients, phytohormones;(IAA, GA3, and CK) and essential oil components; (a-terpineol, a-terpenolene, Linalool, Geraniol, Cineole, Linalyl acetate and Citronellol). In addition, the correlative significant increases attained 15.8, 19.9 and 14.4% for herb fresh weight (g/plant) and 19.8 , 16.9 and 14.7% for herb dry weight (g/plant) in first , second and third cuts, respectively , as well as in both essential oil percentage (26%) and oil yield/plant (52%) in fresh herb at the highest compost level as compared to the control treatment. Also, marjoram plants which received the highest level of compost in combination with biofertilizers mixture significantly supposed the control plants in herb fresh weight (g/plant) by 22.1 ,29.1 and 32.1% and herb dry weight (g/plant) by 25, 32.6 and 40% in first , second and third cuts , respectively, as well as the essential oil percentage by 38% and oil yield per plant by 79% .On the other hand , the present data disclosed that nearly the same marjoram fresh and dry weight (g/plant) as well as essential oil percentage and oil yield per plant of the control plant could be obtained if marjoram plants receiving the lowest and moderate amount of compost fertilizer alone or combined with inoculation of biofertilizers mixture. These findings clearly indicate that organic fertilizer and biofertilizers could be used as an effective tools completely replacing of the applied chemical fertilizers and consequently minimize the pollution of the agricultural environment. | ||||
| Keywords | ||||
| biofertilizer; marjoram; organic fertilizer | ||||
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