Ameliorative Effect of Combining Different Amendments with Abu Tartur Rock Phosphate on Growth and Yield of Soybean and Maize

Abstract

The present study aims to evaluate the bioavailability of phosphorus from sedimentary rock and its effects on the growth of soybean and maize in field experiments. The field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of treatments on the P solubility and its relation with yield of grains and straw for both soybean and maize crops, on the sandy soil in the Nubaria area of Beheira  overnorate–Egypt. Rock phosphate sample was collected from the Western Desert between El-Kharga and El-Dakhla Oases (Abu Tartur). The experiment included the following treatment: Rock phosphate + Oxalic acid +Ammonium thiosulfate; Rock phosphate +Ammonium thiosulfate. The results show that Rock phosphate + Oxalic acid had a significant impact on grain yield and straw yield while Rock phosphate + Farmyard manure(FYM) + phosphate solubilizing bacteria (PSB), Rock phosphate + Farmyard manure, and Rock phosphate + PSB had less influence on the yield characteristics of both soybeans and maize plants. The treatment of Rock phosphate + Oxalic acid + Ammonium thiosulfate recorded the highest increase in both grain yield and straw yield, as well as in the total yield (113.5, 28.0 and 53.5%), (205.5, 168.8 and 186.1%) for soybean and maize, respectively compared with rock phosphate alone, while the treatment of Rock phosphate +PSB recorded the lowest increase in all traits of the both tested crops compared to rock phosphate alone or superphosphate fertilizer.