BIO - AGRICULTURE OF SOME ECONOMICAL LEGUMINOUS CROPS IN NEWLY RECLAIMED DESERT SOIL

Abstract

Field experiments for cultivating faba bean and lentil plants were carried out in two successive seasons (1998/1999 and 1999/2000) in a newly reclaimed soil (Nubaria). The effect of biofertilization using commercial nitrogenous and(or) phosphatic inoculants namely Rhizobacteria and(or) phospho­ rin, organic manuring using (garbage compost), application of different levels of inorganic N-fertilizer (ammonium sulphate) on the plant growth (plant height, number of branches/plant, root and shoot dry weights, nodulation expressed as number and dry weight of nodules), NPK plant content, dehydrogenase activity in rhizosphere and Nrase activity of developed nodules were periodically determined ( 40, 70 and 120 days after cultivation). Yield and yield components of both plants (number of pods & seeds/plant, weight of 100 seeds, NPK of seeds) were also estimated at the end of experiments. Heavy metals (zinc, copper, lead and cadmium) were determined in experimental soil, garbage manure, seeds and pod hulls to throw light on their accumulation in the edible plant parts as affected by biofertilization treatments.