Possibility of Using some Beneficial Elements Stimulating Non-Biological N-Fixation Process As Partial Substitutes of Mineral Nitrogen under Poor Soils.

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Soil sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Damietta University, Egypt.

2 El-Doky, Egypt

Abstract

Due to the environmental hazards of mineral N-fertilizers, finding an effective alternative to it is becoming necessary. So a field experiment was executed in sandy soil condition to evaluate the possibility of using titanium (Ti) and vanadium (V) as a substitute for mineral N-fertilizers. Faba bean was cultivated as an experimental plant based on its significant response to nitrogen fixation process either biological or non-biological. Treatments were different levels of ammonium sulphate (20.5% N) which represented the main plots [100, 75 and 50% of nitrogen recommended dose (NRD) as starter, equivalent to 30, 22.5 and 15 kg N fed-1, respectively] and  different levels of Ti and V which represented the sub plots[ 5.0 and 10.0 mgL-1 for both separately  in addition to control (plants without Ti and V)].The findings showed that plants treated with both Ti and V at both studied rates under ammonium sulphate fertilizer at rate of 75% of NRD realized plant performance at period of 65 days from sowing and  at harvest stage better than that fertilized with ammonium sulphate at rate of 100% of NRD alone without bothTi and V and this may be due to their ability in non-biological N-fixation process taking into consideration that rate of 5 mg L-1 for both studied elements was better thanrate of 10 mg L-1 as well as it can  be noticed that Ti was superior compared to V. Generally, it can be concluded that both Ti and V possess a vital role in non-biological N-fixation process.

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