Effect of Biofertilization with Different Levels of Nitrogen and Phosphorus on Wheat and Associated Weeds under Weed Control Treatments

Abstract

Two field trials were conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Station of National Research Centre, Egypt, to study the influence of dual biofertilization (phosphate dissolving bacteria and Azospirillum spp.) with different levels of nitrogen (50, 75 and 100%) and phosphorus (25, 50 and 100%) of recommended rates under weed control treatments (hand weeding, isoproturon, bifenox and tribenuron-methyl herbicides) on yield components of wheat plants and associated weeds. The highest N and P contents in wheat grains were found in plants treated by biofertilization with 75% N and 50% P of recommended rates under weed-free by bifenox herbicide application. The data showed a positive relationship between the weed weights and the rates of N and P elements. On the other hand, biofertilization had no effect on weed weights under different treatments. The application of biofertilization increased grain yield by 6.49% over the non-biofertilized treatments. Generally, no significant differences were observed in grain yield between nitrogen & phosphorus of recommended rates and with either 100% N + 50% P or 75% N + 100% P under biofertilization with isoproturon herbicide application