Using Natural Alternative Fertilizers for Potato Production Under Sandy Soil Conditions in Egypt

Abstract

Two field experiments were carried out during the two successive seasons of 2010/2011 and 2011/2012 in the Farm of Agric. Res. Station, Wady El-Natrown Area, Fac. Agric. Cairo University, Egypt under saline water and sandy soil conditions. This investigation aimed to study the effect of compost, natural alternative fertilizers (rock phosphate and feldspar) combined with bacterial inoculation (Azotobacter spp and Azospirillum perna + B. megaterium + B. circulans) on yield, tubers quality and its component of (dry matter, NPK, carbohydrate and nitrate) of potato tubers Diamant cultivar. Azotobacter spp and Azospirillum perna were used as nitrogen fixing bacteria from compost, B. megaterium was used as phosphate dissolving bacteria from rock phosphate and B. circulans was used as potassium dissolving bacteria from feldspar. The experiment included 13 treatments as follows three compost levels source of (N) (5.9, 8.8, 11.8 ton/fed.), three rock phosphate levels source of (P) (204.4, 140.7, 77.04 kg/fed.) and five feldspar levels source of (K) (888.8, 592.6, 580.7, 333.3, 251.9 kg/fed.) compared with control (mineral NPK at rate of 120 N -75 P2O5 -96 K2O kg/fed.) were applied in a (RCBD) randomized complete blocks design with three replicates. Results at harvest showed that significant increases in yield characteristics as (yield/plant, total yield, number of tubers and weight of tubers/plant) and tubers quality (dry matter, carbohydrate, nitrate) were treated with high rate of compost (11.8 ton/fed.) combined with potassium at the highest rate in the presence of bacterial inoculation mixture and showed significantly increasing compared with control. Therefore, compost, rock phosphate, feldspar and biofertilizers could be an alternative to mineral fertilizer for potato production.

Promoting effect of potassium solubilizing bacteria (Bacillus cereus) on nutrients availability and yield of potato

“…The results demonstrated that the concentration of N, P, and K in potato plants significantly (P<0.05) increased by 7.39, 6.08 and 30.91%, respectively, as a result of using bio fertilizers. Similar results were reported by Prajapati et al (2013) and Shehata et al (2014) who found that the N, P, and K concentrations were high in okra plants due to using biofertilizer. These increases might be due to the high activity of potassium dissolving bacteria which shows their ability to live zone rhizosphere at high number in the presence of the feldspar rock and/or converting of the unavailable forms of mineral nutrient to available forms (Hassan et al, 2006;Kandeel and Sharaf, 2003).…”

Effect of Organic and Bio-Fertilizers on Yield Quality and Insect Infestations of Sweet Potato Plants in Upper Egypt

“…The obtained results recorded the closed similarity with those has been claimed by Abd-El- Salam and Shams (2012), Abd-El-Hakeem and Fekry (2014), Shehata et al, (2014). Beneficial effect of organic fertilizer on yield and its contents in expected to improve the physical, chemical conditions of soil and increase clustering.…”

Effect of Some Natural Potassium Fertilizer Sources on Growth, Productivity and Quality of Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas L.)

“…on sweet pepper and Abd-El-Hakeem and Fekry (2014) on sweet potato, they showed that the addition of K at 50 % potassium sulphate + 50% feldspar in combination with silicate dissolving bacteria gave the highest N,P and K content. Also, some recent reports showed that silicate dissolving bacteria played a promotion role in the release of Si, Fe and K from feldspar (Shehata et al, 2014;Abou El-Khair and Mohsen, 2016).…”

“…similarly, direct contact among microorganism and minerals can be essential in mineral alteration response, as microbial surfaces may be complicated with steel ions. a few recent reports showed that silicate dissolving bacteria performed a promotion function in the release of Si, Fe and K from feldspar (Labib et al, 2012 andShehata et al, 2014).…”