Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.)

Effect of Organic Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.)

I. M. Gomaa ^1,* and M. M. Afifi ²

¹ Environment and Bio-Agriculture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt.

² Soils, Water and Environment Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

*Corresponding author E-mail: Ibrahim.Metwally@azhar.edu.eg  (I. Metwally)

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the effects of compost, compost tea (CT), vermicompost tea (VCT) and humic substances (HS) as organic fertilizers integrated with synthetic inorganic NPK, on the rhizosphere biological activity, growth and productivity of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in clay soil. The experiment was carried out at El Sharkiya Governorate during the two successive seasons of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 to study the effects of different organic amendments on growth, nodulation, yield and nutrients uptake of three varieties of faba bean namely Giza 3, Nobaryia 1 and Giza 716. Compost and HS were applied as soil application while CT and VCT were applied as foliar spray. The data revealed that VCT combined with 50% mineral NPK fertilizers achieved the highest significant increase in plant height and branch number traits in all varieties during the two seasons and significantly increased yield reaching 11.3, 10.5 and 10.6 ard. /fed. for Giza 3, Nobaryia 1 and Giza 716, respectively. Compost and vermicompost tea applications resulted in a substantial increase of both the number and fresh weight of nodules traits. Meanwhile, amendment with VCT improved nitrogenase activity during the second growing season. Compost treatment in the cultivar Giza 716 achieved the highest biological activities of enzymes in soil of faba bean plants. Also, the CT and VCT application recorded the highest NPK uptake in shoots and grains of plants as well as a significant increase in protein content in grains of all varieties during the two seasons studied.

Keywords: faba bean, humic substances, compost tea, vermicompost tea and compost derivatives.

Introduction

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.,) is one of the most important legumes. It has become one of the strategic crops due to its income to the farmers. It is also a popular legume food used worldwide as an important source of protein and carbohydrates for animal and human nutrition (Cazzato et al., 2012). Besides, the faba bean has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and can grow well in marginal lands (Farag and Afiah, 2012).

The growth and productivity of the faba bean are affected by many factors, including chemical and organic fertilizers, where nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (NPK) fertilizers are necessary to increase production. Plant nutrition is one of the most important factors affecting growth and yield. Phosphorus is an essential element that plays an important role in many metabolic processes of the plant, as well as its role in improving the quality of the fruit (Ramadan and Adam, 2007). Potassium is an essential nutrient and is involved in plant metabolism by activating many enzymes and it plays important role in water management of plants (Zörb et al., 2014). Faba bean often responds positively to K application, especially in dry growing seasons (Barłóg et al., 2018). Availability of adequate K to faba bean plants has a positive effect on N fixation (Römheld and Kirkby, 2010; Gucci et al., 2019).

The application of bio-organic fertilizers such as organic manure, biofertilizers and biogas manure as well as compost and its derivatives could resolve these issues and make our ecosystem healthier (Ritika and Utpal, 2014). Thus, it is important to develop credible and usable alternatives to overcome the limitation of chemical inputs. Many organic materials have been proposed as a source of nutrients for plant crops. Humic substance and compost are among the most promising sources of bio-stimulants (Mupambwa et al., 2015). Many recent studies stated that compost, HS, CT and VCT could be used to improve and regulate plant growth and to enhance stress tolerance and resilience (Nardi et al., 2002; Siddiqui et al., 2008).

Olivares et al. (2015) emphasized the interest in the use of VCT as a foliar spray on tomatoes. However, to the best of our knowledge, no information on the effect of VCT as a foliar fertilizer on faba bean growth and yield was found in the literature. Humic substance effects may be attributed to many factors, including the natural source and concentration of HS, soil pH, and plant species, the humic compounds may be absorbed by the roots and transported to shoots, enhancing the growth of the whole plant (Lulakis and Petsas, 1995). Compost tea can be prepared in a short period of time and can be applied directly onto the plant surface. However, the effects of compost tea are short lived and frequent and thus repeated applications are required to replenish plant or soil surface with nutrient and/or beneficial microbes (Scheuerell and Mahaffee, 2002 and Ingham, 2005). Humic substances and CT have a contributable role in diminishing the unsustainable application of synthetic-based pesticides and/or fertilizers in agriculture. So, HS and CT are promising in sustainable horticultural crop management, it is necessary to provide further insights into their application and functionality (Zandonadi et al., 2007). Therefore, the aim of this study was planned to examine the impact of various organic amendments i.e., compost, HS (soil application), CT and VCT (as foliar application) on the growth and yield of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) as well asthe soil biological activity of the plant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Materials:

This study was conducted on clay soil planted with three faba bean (Vicia faba L.) varieties (Giza 3, Nobaryia 1 and Giza 716 from Field Crops Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Egypt.) at a private farm in Belbeis city, El Sharkiya Governorate, Egypt during the 2018 and 2019 winter seasons. Interaction effects of some organic fertilizers (compost, CT, VCT and HA on the growth and yield of faba bean were studied.

Soil:

The physicochemical properties of the experimental soil were estimated according to Horneck et.al. (2011). Details of these physicochemical prosperities are presented in Table (1).

Organic amendments:

Compost:

A mixture of cattle dung with various agricultural wastes composted for 12 weeks was used as a compost material in this work. Physical, chemical and biological analyses of the compost are shown in Table (3). The physical and chemical properties were determined in raw materials according to APHA (1989). Total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in dry yield were also estimated to Black (1965). Total, fecal coliform bacteria, Salmonellae and Shigella in compost were determined according to Difico Manual (1985). Parasitic organisms were determined in CT according to Jirillo et al. (2014). Weed seeds in compost were examined according to Yu et al. (2010) and nematodes were examined according to Rice et al. (2017).

-          Compost Tea Preparation:

Compost tea was prepared by mixing mature compost with tap water in an open container at a ratio of 1:10. It was steeped at ambient temperatures for a week with a continuous stirring of the mixture is. After that CT was mixed with additional 0.5% (V/V) molasses for increasing the microbial population densities during production. CT was prepared according to the method described by Scheuerell and Mahaffee (2002) and Ingham (2005).

The chemical characteristics of the CT were as follows: total N 0.03%, total P 0.16%, and total K, 0.23% ammoniacal nitrogen 38 mg/L, nitrate-nitrogen 46 mg/L, pH 7.01 and E.C. 19.95 dS.m^-1. CT was applied as a foliar spray at a rate of 75 L/Fed., divided on three equal doses after 2, 7 and 11 weeks from sowing.

Vermicompost and vermicompost tea preparation:

Vermicompost was prepared from previous compost after finishing the thermophilic phase using Earthworm (Eisenia fetida) worms from vermicompost farm at Environment and Bio-Agriculture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Al-Azhar University. VCT was prepared by the same method CT prepared as described by Shrestha and Mizutani(2013).

Preparation of humic substances:

The humic substances were extract after the compost maturation phase according to the methods described by Sanchez et al. (2002). Data presented in Table (2) clear that elemental analysis (C, N, H, O and S) of humic substances. Total acidity was determined as mentioned by Dragunova (1958). Carboxyl groups were determined according to Schintzer and Gupta (1965). Phenolic groups were determined as described by Kononova (1966).

Measurements:

Physio-chemical determinations for vermicompost and their teas were done to determine the extent of stabilization according to the method of A.O.A.C. (2000). Organic matter and organic carbon were measured after igniting the sample in a muffle furnace at 550°C for 60 min. as described by Nelson and Sommers (1996).

The method described by John (1970) was employed for measuring the total phosphorus using a spectrophotometer (Jenway, Model 6705 UV/Visible, Designed and Manufactured in the UK) and total potassium was measured by using flame photometer (Jenway, Model PFP7, Designed and Manufactured in the UK) after digesting the samples. Meanwhile, microbiological assays were run according to the Difico manual (1985). Parasitics were determined according to Jirillo et al. (2014), seed germination percentage was estimated as detailed in Yu et al. (2010) and nematodes were examined according to Lenore et al. (1999).

Humification parameters for the assessment of organic matter stabilization in compost were also calculated: humification rate (HR) % = C (HA+FA)/TOC x100, humification index (HI) = TC extract- C (HA +FA) /C (HA + FA) and humification degree (HD) % = C(HA+FA)/TC extract x100 (Ciavatta et al., 1990).

Total bacteria count (cfu. g^-1 soil rhizosphere) (Allen, 1959), fungi (cfu g^-1 soil rhizosphere) (Martin, 1950) and actinomycetes (cfu g^-1 soil rhizosphere) (Williams and Davis, 1965), were determined at the end of the experiment. 

Enzymes., Plant roots were sampled after 7 and 11 weeks from sowing for determination of the numbers and fresh weight of nodules, nitrogenase activity (µmole C₂H₄mg for nodules) while nitrogenase activity in the rhizosphere (µmole C₂H₄/gm. soil) was estimated according to the methods of Somasegaran and Hoben (1994). Also, dehydrogenase enzyme activities were determined according to Page et al. (1982).

Plants were sampled at harvest to determine the total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium contents in shoots and seeds (Jakson, 1973), plant height (cm), number of branches/plant, number of pods /plant, number of seeds/plant, seed weight/plant (g), and seed yield ard. / Fed. (ard. =155 Kg of faba bean yield).

Experimental treatments: 

The experimental treatments were arranged in split block design with three replications as the following: T1: Compost (soil application) +50% NPK; T2: HS (soil application) +50% NPK; T3: CT (foliar application) +50% NPK; T4: VCT (foliar application) + 50% NPK; T5: Mix (compost + CT+ HS+ VCT); T6: Full NPK (control). Control as recommended dose of NPK, as following, Nitrogen (15 kg nitrogen/Fed., is divided into three doses after 2, 7 and 11 weeks of sowing, Phosphorus (200 kg/Fed.) and potassium (50 kg/Fed.). Both phosphorus and potassium were added once during soil preparation before sowing. All treatments except the control one as a half-recommended dose, whereas the fifth treatment didn't receive any mineral fertilizer.

Statistical Analysis

The data collected were evaluated using the combined two-way ANOVA (years and treatments) of design with three replications and the significant differences were identified using the Fisher’s least significance difference (LSD) method when the ANOVA suggested a significant difference at p ≤ 0.05 (Steel and Torrie, 1980). Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 program.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Compost and vermicompost were suitable for tea extract because they reached to maturation degree where their organic matter contents recorded 34.82 and 38.98% respectively. Also, both compost and vermicompost were free from pathogenic bacteria, parasitic, nematode and weed seeds, as shown in Table (3).

Results are in harmony with Afifi, et al. (2012) where they reported that compost reaches maturation when it is free of any pathogen bacteria and parasitic with a  low HI 1 and the HR and HD% reach more than 50% . Besides, the percentage of humic acid is greater than fulvic acid.

Data in the Table (4) presented the overall results on biochemical composition analysis for both compost and vermicompost. The pH and electric conductivity in compost than vermicompost. On the other hand, organic matter in vermicompost was higher than compost and also contents of total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in vermicompost were higher than compost. The proportion of total coliform, fecal coliform, salmonella and shigella bacteria have not been detected neither in compost nor vermicompost which means raw materials of compost and vermicompost which manufactured tea were mature. Quality of compost or vermicompost tea depends on microbial food sources, compost to water ratio, levels of aeration, degree of maturation, compost age, duration of incubation, and the quality of water used. Also, consistent compost quality is necessary. Sugar or molasses, are commonly used as amendments for CT or VCT to increase quality (Ingham, 2005).

Data presented in Table (5) indicated that all plants that received the organic amendments were taller than those supplied with the full NPK-dose application. Giza3 plants measured up to 95.54 and 96.7 cm/plant during 2018 and 2019, respectively. Meanwhile, the treatments were humic substances during the first season (87.83 cm/plant) while compost tea (84.63 and 90.5 cm/plant) during season 2018 and 2019 respectively. Compost tea and VCT applications with Giza3 achieved the highest values of plant height during 2019 measuring 101and 101.3cm in height, respectively. It is worthy to mention, the treatment which contents mix of organic fertilizers only obtained 78.03 and 80.33 cm during two seasons, respectively and it achieved values greater than full NPK. Plant height increase was already observed on other legume species treated by vermicompost (Sinha et al., 2010).

Vermicompost tea application significantly increased the mean number of branches in plant genotypes and seasons. Due to the VCT application, a maximum mean of 7.46 branches /plant was enumerated in 2019 compared to a maximum of 6.46 branches/plant in 2018. Giza 3 plants attained more branches than Nobaryia1 and Giza 716. The positive effect of VCT might be due to its growth-promoting effect on roots which enhanced nutrient uptake and improved plant growth vigor. This is in harmony with the results reported by Chaichi et al. (2018) who found that foliar application of VCT to faba bean plants resulted in enhanced plant growth, earlier flowering and higher number of pods per plant, which probably favored higher yield. It appears that foliar application of VCT had a beneficial effect on growth and production in faba bean plants.

Also, data presented in Table (5) refer to increased numbers of pods and seeds/plants as a result of foliar application of VCT. Plants sprayed with VCT had maximum numbers of 25.08 pods/plant and 75.56 seeds/plant as well as maximum seeds weights of 55.43g seeds/plant during 2019 season. Similar results using vermicompost tea in the substrate or as a spray or drench applied to the roots have been reported in cereals, fruits, and legumes (Doan et al., 2013, Amiri et al., 2017; Khan et al., 2015; Yang et al., 2015; Zhang et al., 2011), or as a foliar spray (Kim et al. 2015), or both (Olivares et al., 2015). A superior increase in seed yield/fed was scored by plants sprayed with VCT. The yield of these plants reached up to 8.8 and 10.8 ard. /fed. during the two seasons, respectively, compared with amounts of 4.66 and 7.19 ard. /Fed for full NPK in both varieties during the two seasons, respectively. Variety produced higher pod number/plant as well as seed numbers and weights compared with Giza 3 and Giza 716. In addition, it achieved significantly higher seed productivity than other cultivars (9.55 seed yield ard. /fed.), during 2019 season.

Metallic minerals simply dissolve into the CT structure and become bio-chemically reactive and mobile. It is worth mentioning that plants treated with a mixture of the organic amendments only achieved significantly higher yield/fed (5.33 and 8.53 ard. /fed.) than those received the full NPK fertilizer in both seasons. However, the mechanism of CT, VCT and HS for promoting plant growth is not completely known. Many authors reported that increasing cell membrane permeability, oxygen uptake, respiration, photosynthesis, phosphate uptake and root cell elongation of plant growth factors while, Kim (2014) explained the positive effect of humic substances.

Numbers and fresh weight of nodules and nitrogenase enzyme in nodules.  

The full dose of chemical NPK fertilizer had a low effect on nodule formation by the three examined plant genotypes. In contrast, all the applied organic treatments had a consistent favorable effect on nodule formation by the examined plant varieties when compared with the chemical NPK fertilizer application. Vermicomposting tea application was superior in this respect resulting in the formation of the highest nodule numbers in both varieties grown through two seasons. For instance, Nobaryia 1 plants treated with vermicompost teaformed as high as 226.6 and 229.5 nodules/plant in the 1^st and 2^nd seasons, respectively (Table 6).

In the soil amended with compost or HS, nodule fresh weights were higher than nodules formed by plants supplemented with the full dose of chemical fertilizer. The highest nodules formed by the variety Giza 716 during the first season where, nodules fresh weight (mg/plant) were 2904. Meanwhile, the variety of Nobaryia 1 treated by humic substances was superior in the second season (3422.3 nodules fresh weight mg/ plant). These results agree with those of Ahmed and El-Abagy (2007) who attributed the differences among faba bean cultivars in growth characters to the differences in the number of nodules formed on the root of the tested cultivars, consequently, the growth of each cultivar may depend mainly on nitrogen fixation, and the differences in partition and migration of photosynthates between cultivars and the endogenous.

The positive effect of organic fertilizer in some vegetative growth characteristics and more yield characteristics may be due to the organic fertilizer content of various sources on the organic compounds dissolved in water, such as sugars, amino acids, humic acids and organic acids, all these compounds contribute directly or indirectly to the growth and development of the plant are encouraging growth by enzymatic or hormonal as it contains nutrients needed by the plant or they affect the nutrient availability already present in the soil by improving soil pH and thus improving plant productivity (Al-Bayati and Kammel, 2014).

VCT treatment was the superior amendment provoking the highest nitrogenase activity. Giza 3 achieved higher nitrogenase activity during the first season (0.98 µmole C₂H₄/g dry nod) while, G3 and Nobaryia 1 were the best in the second season they recorded 1.03 and 1.04 µmole C₂H₄/g dry nod) respectively. The mixed organic fertilizers supported higher nodule formation than full NPK (control) treatment, as shown in Table (6).

These results agree with those of Ahmed and El-Abagy (2007) who attributed the differences among faba bean cultivars in growth characters to the differences in the number of nodules formed on the root of the tested cultivars, consequently, the growth of each cultivar may depend mainly on nitrogen fixation, also to the differences in partition and migration of photosynthetic between cultivars and the endogenous.

Dehydrogenase enzyme activities reflect the living microbial cell in the soil; it is considered the best indicator of microbiological redox systems Bhaduri et al., (2019). The dehydrogenase activity was increased due to compost application over other treatments when determined at 7 and 11 weeks after sowing. The dehydrogenase activity during the season 2019 exhibited higher values than in 2018. The maxima dehydrogenase activities (25.5 and 30.65 µTPF/g dry rhizosphere) were estimated in compost soil cultivated with variety Giza 716 as shown in Table (7). Meanwhile, compost and HS were superior for increasing nitrogenase activities in all plant rhizosphere during 2019. Both amendments resulted in significantly higher values of N₂-ase activities with compost treatment and Giza 716 than Nobaryia 1 and Giza 3, recording 34.6 µmole C₂H₄/g dry rhizosphere while Nobaryia 1 cultivar with HS was higher than other treatments 36.3 µmole C₂H₄/g.  Moreover, N₂-ase through period 11 weeks was higher than 7 weeks during season 2018 and 2019 respectively. when HS tested with 50 % NPK, it gave the highest activities of both nitrogenase and dehydrogenase enzymes at 75 days from sowing of wheat plant respectively, as reported by Massoud et al. (2013).

Data in Table (8) show that the nitrogen achieved with foliar application of VCT 4.01, 4.91 and 4.07 % with Giza 3, Nobaryia 1 and Giza 716 verities in the 2018 season, respectively. Total phosphorus was (0.23, 0.26), (0.26, 0.27) and (0.25, 0.28) % in plants treated with CT during both seasons with three verities. Meanwhile, the values of total potassium in shoots of Giza 3, Nobaryia 1 and Giza716 plants received with foliar application of CT were (3.60, 3.67), (3.68, 3.76) and (3.64, 3.69) % in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Other studies have attributed the effect of CT and VCT application to the availability of minerals, mostly nitrogen, which can be used quickly by plants (Amiri et al., 2017; Khan et al., 2015; Sinha et al., 2010; Yang et al., 2015).

Percentages of NPK in faba bean grains increased NPK with CT treatment in plant uptake and reflected their increase in seeds as shown in table (9). Total NPK were the highest in seeds with variety Nobaryia 1 achieved (4,10 and 4.81%) total nitrogen and (0.56 and 0.96 %) total phosphorus, while variety G 3 was the best when spray by CT (1.40 and 1.45) total potassium for CT (foliar application) +50% NPK treatment, during seasons 2018 and 2019, respectively. A similar finding was gained by Khaled et al., (2012) who reported that the highest values of K contents in sesame seeds were achieved by soil application of humic acid combined with the high rate of mineral N fertilizer.

The moral role when adding half the amount of chemical fertilizer with the amount of organic manure in each of the contents of total nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and protein percentages in faba bean grains. Nobaryia 1 variety achieved the highest significant value of protein percentage than other two varieties as shown in tables (9). This  may be due to the contribution of both mineral and organic fertilizer to each other to reach the state of optimal nutritional balance suitable for the growth and development of the plant because they equipped the plant with the necessary nutrients, which was reflected in significant increases in most of the indicators of the studied factor (El-Shakry, 2005; Al-Habar et al., 2014).

CONCLUSION:

Use of compost, CT, VCT and HS as organic fertilizers integrated with synthetic inorganic NPK fertilizer contribute to lowering pollution of mineral NPK fertilizers and decreased the cost by using environmentally friendly organic and bio-organic fertilizers and compensate compensation NPK fertilizer for faba bean. Organic fertilizers in clay soils have key role in enhancing physiochemical and biological soil properties. All treatments recorded the highest NPK uptake in shoots and grains of plants as well as a significant increase in protein content in grains of all varieties during the two seasons of study.

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Table 1: The physicochemical properties of the experimental soil.

Table 2: Characteristics of humic substances extracted from compost.

Table 3: Physical, chemical and biological analyses of compost and vermicompost.

Vermi: Vermicompost Nd: not detected; C/N: Carbon / Nitrogen ratio; cfu: colony forming unit

Table 4: Chemical and biological determinations of compost and vermicompost tea.

Nd: not detected

Table 5: Response of three faba bean varieties to organic amendments and their interactions on plant height, yield and yield components during two successive winter seasons.

T: treatment, V: variety and VT interaction between treatment and variety.

Table 6: Effect of compost, humic substances, compost and vermicompost tea on number, fresh weight and nitrogenase activity in nodules of three faba bean varieties after 7 and 11 weeks from culture during two successive winter seasons.

Y: year, T: treatment and YT interaction between and year treatment