INDUCED EFFECT OF CATTLE WASTE COMBINED WITH ELEMENTAL SULPHUR, NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS ON WHEAT SUCCEEDED BY MAIZE GROWN ON A CALCAREOUS SOIL

The objective of the current investigation was to study both the direct and residual effects of cattle waste manure, elemental sulphur at different rates, nitrogen in different forms and phosphate at different rates on growth parameters and yields of both grains and straw of wheat succeeded by maize grown on a calcareous soil. To fulfill this objective, two field experiments were conducted on El-Noubaria calcareous soil (CaCO₃>34%). In the first experiment, cattle waste was applied at a rate of 12 ton fed^-1 with elemental sulphur at a rate of 0, 50 or 100% of its recommended dose 100 kg fed^-1, N in the form of urea, ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulphate at a rate of 120 kg fed^-1 and P at a rate of 0, 50 or 100% of its recommended P dose, 150 kg fed^-1. The experimental plots were distributed in a split-split design. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L., Giza 163) was cultivated within the first half of November 2005 then harvested in May 2006. The second experiment was conducted to study the residual effect of the aforementioned treatments on maize (Zea maize L., single hybrid 10) cultivated at the same experimental plots in the second half of April 2006 and harvested at the end of August.  Results revealed that both plant height and weight of 100 grains positively responded to application of the cattle waste (CW), elemental S, N and P especially at the recommended doses of S, the highest applied rate of P and ammonium sulphate fertilizer as a N source. Both the grain and straw yields as well as the biological yield were affected obviously by rate of the applied sulphur, form of the applied nitrogen and rate of the applied phosphorus. The higher the rate of the applied sulphur, the higher the grain, straw and biological yields were obtained. The nitrogen applied in the form of ammonium sulphate was of a superior effect on yield components. Application of phosphorus was more pronounced by increasing rate of the applied phosphate.
Sulphur application could result in increases in nitrogen uptake values by grains and straw of both the investigated plants. Application of N, regardless of its applied form resulted in higher N-uptake values by grains and straw of both the studied plants as compared with the corresponding N-uptake values attained in control treatments which did not receive N-fertilizer. The highest values of N uptake by both grains and straw of both the investigated plants were attained due to application of N as ammonium sulphate.
Application of sulphur enhanced availability of P and hence its uptake. The applied N forms could be arranged according to their effect on increasing P uptake values in the following descending sequence ammonium sulphate> ammonium nitrate> urea. Moreover, application of phosphate was noticed to be associated with corresponding increases in its uptake values by grains and straw. Values of K uptake were in direct proportion to rate of the applied sulphur. K-uptake values by both wheat and maize plants showed almost similar trends to those of N and P. This observation hold true for both grains and straw of the cultivated plants. The ammonium sulphate form resulted in the highest K-uptake values whereas urea fertilizer was associated generally with the lowest K-uptake values. It is of importance also to indicate that the beneficial effects of the used fertilization treatments extended to the maize plants which were cultivated succeeding wheat in the same soil.