Balanced Fertilization of Major Crops in Egypt

Justification:
Statistical data shows that current fertilizer use in Egypt is highly unbalanced. For decades, farmers believed that the soil is rich in P and K and therefore traditionally used to apply fertilize N only, which lead to negative balance with respect to other nutrients. The current N:P:K ratio for example in the fertilizers used is highly negative with respect to K (1:0.12:0.04) which is negative to P and highly negative to K. Such negative nutrient balances indicate soil nutrient mining and thus loss in soil fertility and productivity. In addition and due to the scarcity of water resources in Egypt, there is a high need to promote the most efficient techniques in fertilization and irrigation in irrigated agriculture to enhance both water and fertilizer use efficiency. With this regard, such technologies need to be transferred to the farmers, extension agents and company dealers though training and field demonstration and publication and other outreach materials.


Objectives:

1. To study the efficiency of different-K sources on growth and productivity some crops (maize in summer and faba bean in winter)
2. To study the effect of balanced NPK fertilization on nutritional status and productivity of some crops (citrus / mango / potato )

Methodology:
Experiment I:
This experiment was carried out during summer of year 2016 on maize hybrid namely pioneer 30 M 48 on a private farm located in Kafer Abo Gomaa (20 km from Cairo ) El-kalubeia governorate . The soil is Loamy and under Flood irrigation system. Soil samples were collected before planting from the experimental area in order to have a view of physical-chemical properties of soil. In addition, seed bed was prepared by ploughing followed by planking. The distance between rows was 60 cm. Triple super phosphate (45% P₂O₅) at 50kg / fedden (22.5 Kg p_2O5) was added during soil preparation . Field lands were rowing were estabilished at 60 cm in between the seeds of maize hybrid were planted on 3 May using a seed rate of 12 Kg / fedden with plant to make a population of 21.000 plants / Fadden. Moreover nitrogen fertilizers as urea form at the rate of 100 Kg / Fadden (46.0 unit of nitrogen ) and humic acid at 6 litters / Fadden were applied at two equal splits, i.e. One at the first irrigation , after 21 days from planting directly before the first irrigation and the other directly before the second irrigation. Different agricultural practices for maize field plants were carried out as the farmer does. The experiment was laid out in as the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications and four treatments i.e( .1) control treatment without potassium fertilization , 2) From treatment 2 till treatment 4 , 48 kg k₂O were applied using different potassium source (i.e potassium sulphate . potassium nitrate and potassium chloride) . All different potassium sources were added in three equal doses , first after 46 days from sowing and (DAS) ,56 DAS and 66 DAS , respectively . At the end of the growing season and at harvesting time on 30 August about 117 days from planting , four plants were randomly selected from each plot in to measure vegetative growth , leaf mineral content of maize crop and yield components. as follows :

a- Growth parameters

1. plant height at harvest (cm)
2. stem diameter cm
3. average fresh stem weight (g / plant )
4. number of leaves per plant
5. leaf area of cob leaf (cm²⁾

b- Yield and Yield components :

1. yield as ton / Feddan
2. average cob weight (gm )
3. length of cob (cm )
4. diameter of cob ( cm)
5. number of grains rows per cob
6. number of grains per cob

Results and Conclusions:
Table (1) : Effect of different potassium forms on growth parameters of maize plant during 2016

Growth parameters
Treatments	Plant height cm	Stem diameter cm	Number of leaves/ plant	Leaf area of cob leaf cm2	Stem fresh weight g
Control	260	7.69	12.29	658	524
Potassium sulfate@96kg /feddan	298	8.38	14.39	755	649
Potassium nitrate@ 112kg/feddan	290	8.71	14.08	725	577
Potassium chloride@80 kg/feddan	280	7.50	12.33	680	473

Table (2) : Effect of different potassium forms on yield and yield components of maize plant during 2016

	Yield and yield components
Treatments	Bological yield tons /feddan	Grain yield tons /feddans	average cob weight (gm )	length of cob (cm )	diameter of cob ( cm)	number of grains rows per cob	number of grains per cob
Control	5.77	2.90	289	29.13	18.17	13.50	547
Potassium sulfate@96kg /feddan	6.89	3.10	345	31.25	20.14	14.61	584
Potassium nitrate@ 112kg/feddan	6.73	3.16	337	29.33	19.50	14.50	596
Potassium chloride@80 kg/feddan	6.19	3.07	310	29.08	18.42	14.14	579

Feddan = 4200 m2; Acre = 4046 m2;
Kg per feddan to kg per hectare multiply by 2.38
Kg per acre to kg per hectare multiply by 2.48


Conclusions:
From the obtained preliminary results, we can conclude that, all different potassium forms, led to stimulate vegetative growth , increasing yield and its components as compared with untreated treatment ( control ). Moreover , Potassium sulfate@ rate of 96 kg /feddan was a superior treatment for stimulating vegetative growth , increasing yield and its components followed by potassium nitrate @ 112kg/feddan and the last one was Potassium chloride@80 kg/feddan in this respect . In addition , the data was carried out through second season2017 to confirm these results .
Experiment II:


Material and Methods :
This experiment was carried out during the winter season of year 2016 at a Private farm located in Nubaria area, Cairo - Alexandria Desert Road, EL-Behaira Governorate, in calcareous soil and under Flood irrigation system, using cv.Crose which considered an extra early maturing variety about (100 days) where planting tubers was during September 15^th . A soil sample was collected from the experimental field at the beginning of the experiment while physical and chemical properties were determined. Moreover, soil prepared by ploughing followed by planking and all treatments were received 15 cubic meters of compost , calcium super-phosphate (15.5 P₂O₅ ) at rate 100kg /feddan , 100 kg /feddan ammonium sulfate (20.6 N ) and 50 kg of potassium sulphate granular were added during soil preparation . In addition , after 34 days from planting and before third irrigation 100kg ammonium nitrate (33.3 %N ) and 50kg calcium nitrate /feddan were added. Other cultural management such as disease and pest control programs were followed according to the recommendations of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and as normal as farmer does . The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications and five treatments. NPK doses were splitted as follows :

a- first application (34 DAS):
1- Soil application,of N at rate of 66.6kg/feddan in form ammonium nitrate + P at rate of 7.75 kg P₂O₅ /feddan in form calcium super phosphate + 0.0 K 2O ( control treatment )
2- Soil application of N at rate of 66.6kg in form ammonium nitrate /feddan + P at rate of 7.75 kg P₂O₅ /feddan in form calcium super phosphate + K at rate of 39 kg/feddan K₂O in form potassium sulphate
3- Soil application of N at rate of 66.6kg in form ammonium nitrate /feddan + P at rate of 7.75 kg P₂O₅ /feddan in form calcium suer phosphate + K at rate of 39 kg/feddan K₂O in form potassium chloride
4- Soil application of N at rate of 66.6kg in form ammonium nitrate /feddan + P at rate of 7.75 kg P₂O₅ /feddan in form calcium suer phosphate + K at rate of 39 /feddan K₂O in form potassium nitrate
5- Soil application of N at rate of 66.6kg in form ammonium nitrate /feddan + P at rate of 0.0 P₂O₅ /feddan + k at rate of 39 kg/feddan K₂O in form potassium sulfate

b- first second application (80 DAS):
1- Soil application of N at rate of 16.65 kg/feddan in form ammonium nitrate .
2- Soil application of N at rate of 16.65 kg in form ammonium nitrate /feddan + K at rate of 39 kg/feddan K₂O in form potassium sulphate.
3- Soil application of N at rate of 16.65 kg in form ammonium nitrate /feddan + K at rate of 39.42 kg/feddan K₂O in form potassium chloride.
4- Soil application of N at rate of 16.65 kg in form ammonium nitrate /feddan + K at rate of 38.44 kg/feddan K₂O in form potassium nitrate .
5- Soil application of N at rate of 16.65 kg in form ammonium nitrate /feddan + K at rate of 39.00 kg/feddan K₂O in form potassium sulphate .
The above mentioned treatments were applied before the second and fourth irrigation. At the end of the growing season and at harvesting time and about 107 days from planting , four plants will be randomly selected from each plot in order to evaluate the effects of different application of potassium sources on vegetative growth , yield, tubers characteristics and leaf mineral contents of potato plant as follows :
a- vegetative growth

1. plant height cm
2. number of main shoots per plant
3. number of leaves /plant
4. leaf area meter cm²
5. CHROLPHALL A and B
6. Fresh and dray weight (g) stem

B- Yield and tuber characteristics:

1. yield per ton / Feddan
2. number of tubers per plant
3. weight of tubers per plant
4. average tuber weight
5. length of tuber cm
6. diameter of tuber cm
7. shape index of tuber

c- leaf macro and micro nutrients content in the leaf will be determined.
d- Soil physical and chemical analysis of experiment field will be determined in addition to the chemical analysis of irrigation water