Effect of Bio Fertilizers and Inorganic Fertilizers on Growth, Productivity and Quality of Bread Wheat Cultivars

Abstract Integrated nutrient management strategies involving chemical and biological fertilizer is a real challenge to stop using the high rates of agrochemicals and to enhance sustainability of crop production. In order to study the effects of biofertilizers (Cerialin and Nitrobein) and chemical nitrogen levels (0, 85,170 and 250 kg N ha−1) on yield and yield attributes of two wheat cultivars (Sakha 94 and Gemmeiza 10), an agricultural experiment in the form of strip-split factorial design with three replications was conducted in Kafr El-Sheikh region, Egypt, in 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 growing seasons. The objective of this study was evaluation of the effects of these fertilizers separately and in integrated forms, and setting out the best fertilizer mixture. The results showed that treatment with biofertilizers and chemical nitrogen increased the growth, yield attributes, biological and grain yield. Both grain and biological yield produced a better result during the combination of nitrogen fertilizer and biofertilizers than using either method alone. Using biofertilizers increased biological yield through increase in number of grains spike−1, number of spikes m−2 and 1000 grain weight, which cause to increase in grain yield with significant changes in harvest index, as well as protein content. We may conclude that using biofertilizers (Cerialin or Nitrobein) and chemical nitrogen fertilizer (170 or 250 kg N ha−1) together had the maximum impact on yield. Then, we can decrease use of chemical fertilizers through using biofertilizers.