EFFECT OF PHOSPHORUS AND IRON FERTILIZATION ON PLANT GROWN ON SOIL I VARIED IN ALKALINITY

Abstract

The interaction between macro and micronutrients application to soil and their availability have a vital role on plant nutrient absorption subsequently crops growth and production. Both phosphorus and iron are necessary in nutrition for growth and development of plants. Iron compounds as well as phosphorus in soils are affected by soil alkalinity and may influence the uptake of other nutrients because of alkalinity represents one of the main problems in the soil of Egypt affecting its productivity and subsequently national income of agriculture. The present work was carried out to study the relationship between phosphorus (0, 50 and 150 ppm) and iron (0, 30 and 90 ppm as soil application and foliar fertilization) applications under different levels of exchangeable sodium percentage on: 1- Growth and dry matter yield of corn plants growing on alluvial and alkali soils. 2- Concentration of various nutrients and their uptake by plants. 3- Interaction effect between ESP, P and Fe on nutrients content of plant tissues.

Com plants were used as test plant. Pot experiments were conducted using artificial alkaline soils varied in alkalinity (0, 19.3 and 35.5 % ESP). The soil samples were collected from the surface layer (0-20 cm) of the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Shebin El-Korn, Menoufiya University. The soil samples air dried, crushed to pass through a 2 mm sieve. Some physical and chemical properties of the soil were determined. The soil samples divided into three parts: (i) The first part was used as control treatment sample (5.2 % ESP). (ii) The second