Efficacy of Rock Phosphate, Phosphate Solubilizing Bacteria and Chenopodium Album Aqueous Extract on Wheat Growth and Yield

Abstract

A two-season field experiment was conducted during 2020–2021 and 2021–2022 in Kafr Al-Naggar village, Abo Kabir District, Sharkia Governorate, Egypt, to investigate the effect of rock phosphate application, phosphate-solubilizing biofertilizer (phosphorien), and foliar application of Chenopodium album aqueous extract on growth, yield, yield components, and grain quality of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Misr-1. The experiment was arranged in a split-split plot design in three replications with three factors: rock phosphate application (0 and 300 kg/fad), phosphorien inoculation rates (0, 300, 600, and 900 g/seeds/fad), and spraying weed aqueous extract concentrations of C. album (0, 50%, and 100%). Results indicated that rock phosphate application had no significant effect on most studied traits, including grain yield and grain quality (crude protein content). In contrast, phosphorien inoculation significantly improved growth traits, yield components, grain yield, and grain protein content, with the highest response recorded at 900 g/seeds/fad (fad, Faddan= 4200m2). Similarly, foliar application of C. album extract significantly enhanced most agronomic traits, yield components, grain yield, and protein content, particularly at 100% concentration. Grain yield increased significantly under phosphorien inoculation and foliar spray treatments, with the highest values recorded under combined high levels of biofertilizer and weed extract application. Grain protein content showed a consistent improvement under both phosphorien inoculation and C. album extract treatments. However, interactions among the studied factors were generally nidgin for most traits. It can be concluded that integration of phosphate-solubilizing bacteria PSB (phosphorien) with foliar application of Chenopodium album aqueous extract is an effective strategy to improve wheat productivity and grain quality under the conditions of clay fertil soils in Egypt.