Mineral and bacterial fertilization effect on chemical composition and yield of wheat

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of an application of different rates of mineral fertilizers and their combination with selected bacterial inoculants (N-fixing Klebsiella planticola and Enterobacter spp.) on chemical composition and yield of the grain of wheat. The studied soil type was Eutric Cambisol. The experiment was set up in a randomized block design with three replicates, based on the following variants: control (Ø, non-fertilized soil); 60 kg·ha-1 N and P2O5, and 40 kg K2O ha-1 (low rates of mineral fertilizers); 120 kg·ha-1 N, P2O5 and K2O (high rates of mineral fertilizers); Enterobacter sp. strains + 60 kg·ha-1 N and P2O5, and 40 kg K2O ha-1; Enterobacter sp. strains + 120 kg·ha-1 N, P2O5 and K2O; K. planticola + 60 kg·ha-1 N and P2O5, and 40 kg K2O ha-1; K. planticola + 120 kg·ha-1 N, P2O5 and K2O. Winter wheat (cv. Evropa 90) was used as a test plant. Measuring of the yield of crop was carried out at the end of the vegetation. The results of the study showed that an application of high rates of mineral fertilizers and their combination with bacterial inoculants resulted in increased contents of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and proteins in the grains of the crop studied. The highest increase in the yield of the wheat was obtained by the same mentioned treatments, although the combination of bacterial inoculants and low rates of mineral fertilizers resulted in higher yields comparing to the application of lower rates of the pure mineral nutrients. Concluding, it was estimated that the studied bacterial inoculants can be used to supplement the use of urea-N, helping to ensure that the supply of nutrients contributing to optimized yield is maintained.