EFFECT OF MINERAL AND 810-FERTIUZATION ON SOME VARIETIES OF SAFFLOWER UNDER CALCAREOUS SOILS

Abstract

One field experiment wns carried out at Mariut Research Station, Desert Research Center, Egypt during the two successive seasons 199411995 and 1995/1996 to evaluate two saffiower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) varieties under different levels of mineral nitrogen and phosphorus and bio-fcrtilizer (nitrogen fixation and phosphate dissolving bacteria).

The soil of the experiments is calcareous (27.06% CaC03) with a sandy loam texture, a very low organic matter content (0.37) and pH value (8.20).

Each experiment included 32 treatments which were the combination between the two vmieties (Giza 1 and Aceitera), four treatments of nitrogen (zero, biofertilizer, 30 and 60 kg N/fed) as ammonium sulphate 20.6% N .> and rour treatments of phosphorus (zero, biofertilizer, 15.5 and 31.0 kg

P205/fed) as calcium superphosphate.

The experimental design was split-split plot with four replication, where the two varieties were atTanged at random in main plot, the levels of nitrogen were assigned at random within the sub-plot, while the P-levels were randomly distributed in the sub-sub plots. The sub-sub plot area was I0.5 m2