Effect of bio-and chemical fertilizers on growth, sepals yield and chemical composition of Hibiscus sabdariffa at new reclaimed soil of south valley area

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of biofertilizers in combination with different rates of chemical fertilizers on the growth characters, yield component and chemical constituents of Hibiscus sabdariffa (Roselle) plants under reclaimed land conditions of Qena. The biofertilizers were used as seeds inoculation with Azospirillum sp. (nitrogen fixing bacteria, N.F.B.) and Bacillus polymyxa (phosphate dissolving bacteria, PDB) and their mixture. The obtained results revealed that the inoculation with the mixture of biofertilizers combined with 50 or 100% chemical fertilizers improved, in most cases, growth characters and increased sepal yield or at least did not differ significantly from the control (full recommended dose of NPK alone). So, applying 50% of the recommended dose of NPK plus mixture of biofertilizer can save half of the quantity of chemical fertilizer, decrees the production cost and obtain high quality product. © 2011 Asian Network for Scientific Information.