Response of Canola (Brassica napus L.) to Biofertilizers under Egyptian conditions in newly reclaimed soil

Abstract

The study was conducted in the farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Demo, Fayoum, Egypt. The soil was of loamy-sand type. During 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 season, using a split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design with three replicates, the work was done to determine the effect of adding biofertilizers (Azotobacter+Azospirillum, free nitrogen fixers and Trichoderma a phosphate solubilizing fungi) in combinations with mineral N fertilizer with either recommended dose (N1) or half of this dose (N2) on yield quantity and quality of two canola lines (L6 and H2). The results revealed that the two canola lines were significantly different in plant height, number of branches, number of pods and seed yield/plant. L6 surpassed H2 line for previous traits, in addition to insignificantly higher values of the other traits; T10, T11 and T12 showed superiority and high productivity with saving half of the mineral N recommended dose. For interaction; H2T10, was the best in all traits except for plant height, protein and oil percentages. H2T4, L6T6 and L6T8, for all traits except for seed index and oil percentage. The highest productivity recoded by H2T10 (N2+Trichoderma+Azotobacter), H2T11 (N2+Azotobacter+Azospirillum) and L6T8 (N2+Azotobacter) which outyielded their corresponding control by 39.3, 31.8 and 23.0% a result of using only 50% of the recommended dose of N-fertilizer (N2). The latter combination was also superior in protein content (26.5%). These three combinations could be recommended as alternative method for canola fertilization, where they had economic and safely advantages.