Assiut J. Agric. Sci., (48) No. (3) 2017 (112-122) ISSN: 1110-0486 Website: http://www.aun.edu.eg/faculty_agriculture E-mail: [email protected] Influence of Bio and Chemical Fertilization on Croton Production 1Antoniadis Research Branch, Horticultural Research Alexandria, Egypt 2Department of soil physics and chemistry, Desert Research Center, Egypt Received on: 28/3/2017 Accepted for publication on: 5/4/2017 Abstract The present study was carried out during the two seasons of 2014/ 2015 and 2015/2016 in Nubaria region, west of Alexandria city, Egypt. A pot experiment conducted to examine the possibility of producing Codiaeum variegatum L. plants under lower levels of NPK chemical fertilizer doses by using some biofer- tilizers. Five tested treatments were used including control, full mineral NPK dose (36 g of ammonium sulphate, 20.5% N, 24 g of calcium super phosphate, 15 % P2O2 and 12 g of potassium sulphate, 48% K2O,) per plant, 1/2 inorganic NPK dose + 1 g nitrobein, 1/2 inorganic NPK dose + 1 g phosphorien, and 1/2 inor- ganic NPK dose + 1 g nitrobein + 1 g phosphorein. The obtained results indicated that the different vegetative growth characters as well as chemical constituents of croton plants were considerably augmented due to various mineral NPK or 1/2 NPK + biofertilizers. The best results were obtained by mineral full NPK dose and the half dose of NPK plus nitrobein and phosphorein biofertilizers. Such two superior treatments gave almost equal results which assure the possibility of re- placing one half of the chemical NPK by the use of some N- fixing and P- dissolving bacteria biofertilizers in producing ornamental shrubs such as Codi- aeum variegatum. Keywords: Bio fertilizers, Croton, Mineral fertilization, Loamy sand. Introduction well as illustrated by Brickell, (1988). Codiaeum variegatum (L.) A. The cultivar God Star plant is a Juss plants (Crotons) are members of commonly seen croton; it is a shrub the "Euphorbiaceae" family. Crotons that has bright green leaves with have been popular in tropical and flecks of gold all over leaves and sub-tropical garden for countries, but, hence, the name became. It is a very only in recent years, they become pretty plant and can be used to create popular indoor plants. The croton a hedge when planted close together. plants are used and grown for the at- It makes attractive specimens as re- tractive foliage which is available in ported by Rodriguez and Rohde, many brilliant colors. It is an orna- (2006). mental evergreen shrub with alter- Mineral N, P and K fertilizers nate, simple leaves that used in con- could be substituted partially by N- tainers and bed. A mature plant will fixing and P- dissolving bacteria in grow about six feet tall and does well order to reduce the environmental in sun or part shade. For planted out- pollution and cost expenditure. Many door, crotons are tolerant in sandy investigators reported the enhancing soils and they tolerate salt air near the effect of NPK fertilization on vegeta- beach. They tolerate heat extremely tive growth characters, photosyn- Sohier, G. El-Sayed and Sahar, M. Ismail, 2017 http://ajas.js.iknito.com/ thetic pigments, and N, P and K up- chemical composition of different take of croton plants (Conover and woody plants. So, the objective of Pool, 1983; Mohamed et al., 2004; this research was to study the effect Karm et al., 2009). Based on a study of different chemical and bio fertiliz- carried out by El-Aziz et al., (2007), ers on morphological, chemical con- croton plants had higher growth at the stituents, production of croton plants lowest level fertilizer suggesting the and find out the best treatment of fer- use of lower rates of controlled re- tilization (bio-and chemical fertiliz- lease fertilizer (CRF). Also, Younis et ers) for the best vegetative growth. al., (2010) mentioned that different Materials and Methods growing media on croton plant gave A pot experiment was carried the best result of quality production. out during two successive seasons of Using of microorganisms as biofertil- 2014/ 2015 and 2015/2016 in Nubaria izer improves the soil characters. The region, west of Alexandria city, fixed nitrogen solubilized mineral nu- Egypt. It is applied by replacement of trients, synthesis of the vitamins, 1/2 of chemical NPK fertilizers by N amino acids, auxins and gibberellins, and P biofertilizers in producing which stimulate the plant growth Codiaeum variegatum plants. Rooted come as a result of inoculation by terminal cuttings of croton (Codi- these microorganisms (El-Merich et aeum variegatum L) cv. Pictum var. al., 1997), However, Nath and Das, "Gold Star" of 14 to 16 cm height and (1995), Vashight and Sharma, (2003); 4 to 6 leaves were transplanted on the El-Fawakhry et al. (2004), Gabera, 10th of April in both seasons. To plas- (2004), Younis et al.(2004), kandeel tic pots of 25 cm in diameter that et al. (2004), Soliman, (2005), Sha- filled with a mixed soil (3clay: 1 sand heen and Abd-El-Wahab, (2013), w/w), one cutting was put. The mix- Abdullahi et al. (2014); Niharik, ture well done inside each pot. The (2015) and Zare et al. (2015), proved chemical and physical characteristics the efficiency of combining N- fixing of the used mixed soil were deter- and P- dissolving bacteria partially mined according to the methods out- with NPK chemical fertilizers on lined by Page et al. (1982) and listed improving of vegetative growth and in Table (1). Table 1. Some chemical and physical properties of the mixed soil a by 3: 1 clay to sandy loam soil E.C Available Mechanical analy- pH Organic CEC Total car- (dsm-1) nutrients sis (%) -1 matter (cmol+/kg bonates (Soil paste (mg kg ) Sand Silt clay (1:2.5) (%) soil) (%) extraction) N P K 43 20 37 4.32 8.20 12 5 95 0.67 25 11.25 Texture : clay loam One month from planting, the tested, namely 1) control (unfertilized experiment was arranged in com- plants), 2) full mineral NPK dose (36 pletely randomized block design with g ammonium sulphate, 20.5% N, 24 g three replications (plant / replication). calcium super phosphate, 15 % P2O5 Five fertilization treatments were and 12 g potassium sulphate, 48.5% 113 Assiut J. Agric. Sci., (48) No. (3) 2017 (112-122) ISSN: 1110-0486 Website: http://www.aun.edu.eg/faculty_agriculture E-mail: [email protected] K2O / plant, 3) 1/2 of the above men- a and b and carotenoid content of the tioned NPK dose + 1g nitrobein (N- leaves (mg/g F.W.) were estimated in fixing bacteria), 4) 1/2 of the above the second week of August. accord- mentioned NPK dose + 1 g phos- ing to Fadl and Seri- Eldeen, (1978). phorein and 5) 1/2 NPK + 1 g of ni- Also N, P and K contents of the trobein + 1 g phosphorein. Biofertil- leaves were determined according to izers (nitrobein and phosphorein) Page et al., (1982). Obtained data were applied as a soil drench after 2 were statistically analyzed according weeks from the final transplanting to Steel and Torrei, (1960). and after 40 days from the first addi- Results tion at the level of 1 g / pot at each Vegetative Growth Characters: time, while mineral N, P and K All tested vegetative growth amounts were divided into four equal traits, namely plant height, stem di- doses; the first dose was added after ameter, number of leaves as well as one month from transplanting and the fresh and dry weights of leaves, three other doses were applied after stems, and roots of Codiaeum varie- 21 days from the first one with 30 gatum plants were significantly aug- days interval periods among them mented in both seasons due to all four during the growth season. The ex- treatments, in comparison with the periment continued eight months control. Among the four fertilization from planting and the harvest was in treatments, the highest values were December. Other agricultural prac- obtained from full dose of NPK treat- tices were performed as usual. At the ment and 1/2 NPK dose + NP biofer- end of the experiment in both sea- tilizers as shown in Tables (2a, 2b sons, data were recorded for plant and 2c). However, no significant dif- height (cm), stem diameter (cm), ferences were found between such number of leaves per seedling and two treatments for plant height, stem fresh and dry weight of leaves, stems diameter and fresh and dry weights of and roots (g). In addition, chlorophyll leaves and roots in the both seasons. Table 2a. Effect of mineral NPK and (NP) biofertilization treatments on plant height, stem diameter, and number of leaves of Codiaeum variegatum plants during the two seasons of 2015 (1st) and 2016 (2nd). Plant height Stem diameter NPK/Biofertilizer No. of leaves (cm) (cm) treatments 1st 2nd 1st 2nd 1st 2nd Control 38.70 39.70 0.59 0.53 50.90 55.11 NPK 51.17 52.21 0.76 0.79 63.00 66.40 1/2 NPK+Bio.N 45.00 47.41 0.65 0.64 60.00 60.80 1/2 NPK+Bio.P 44.00 45.35 0.63 0.63 58.40 58.20 1/2 NPK+Bio.NP 46.07 49.69 0.67 0.72 61.11 62.00 L.S.D at 5% 4.99 5.49 0.10 0.08 7.40 8.60 114 Sohier, G. El-Sayed and Sahar, M. Ismail, 2017 http://ajas.js.iknito.com/ Table 2b. Effect of mineral NPK and (NP) biofertilization treatments on fresh weight of leaves, stems and roots of Codiaeum variegatum plant during the two seasons of 2015 (1st ) and 2016 (2nd).