Growth response of corn to Nitrogen-fixing bacteria enriched compost

Abstract

Efforts are made to introduce strains of selected N-fixing bacteria; Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis, as free living 'asymbiotic N fixers' into compost that made from Empty Fruit Bunches (EFB) and Palm Oil Mill Effluent (POME). A total of 7 soil treatments were established to evaluate the influence of N 2 -fixing bacteria-enriched compost on vegetative growth and performance of corn; 4 treatments of selected N 2 -fixing bacteria strains (namely BT28, BT29, BT30 and BT31) into compost meanwhile 1 treatment with nil inoculum and 2 treatments of control plots of 100% of inorganic fertilizer applications. All treatments were replicated 4 times and arranged in a randomized complete randomized design. The results showed that application of Bacillus sp. inoculated EFB compost significantly (p<0.05) increased total dry weight as compared to those plots applied with inorganic fertilizers. Growth of corn was significantly affected by the application of selected N 2 fixing strains of Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus licheniformis particularly on the vegetative growth and performance of corn. Soil pH, nutrient concentration especially K and Mg were significantly increased due to presence of Bacillus sp. enriched EFB compost.