A Paradigm Shift towards Beneficial Microbes Enhancing the Efficiency of Organic and Inorganic Nitrogen Sources for a Sustainable Environment

Haji Muhammad, Shah Fahad (), Shah Saud (), Shah Hassan, Wajid Nasim, Baber Ali, Hafiz Mohkum Hammad, Hafiz Faiq Bakhat, Muhammad Mubeen, Amir Zaman Khan, Ke Liu, Matthew Tom Harrison, Hamada AbdElgawad and Mostafa A. Abdel-Maksoud
Additional contact information
Haji Muhammad: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Crop Production Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Shah Fahad: Department of Agronomy, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa 23200, Pakistan
Shah Saud: College of Life Science, Linyi University, Linyi 276000, China
Shah Hassan: Department of Agricultural Extension Education & Communication, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar 25130, Pakistan
Wajid Nasim: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB), Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
Baber Ali: Department of Plant Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan
Hafiz Mohkum Hammad: Department of Agronomy, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Multan 66000, Pakistan
Hafiz Faiq Bakhat: Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari 61100, Pakistan
Muhammad Mubeen: Department of Environmental Sciences, COMSATS University Islamabad, Vehari Campus, Vehari 61100, Pakistan
Amir Zaman Khan: Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Crop Production Sciences, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar 25000, Pakistan
Ke Liu: Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Burnie, TAS 7250, Australia
Matthew Tom Harrison: Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Newnham Drive, Launceston, TAS 7248, Australia
Hamada AbdElgawad: Laboratory for Molecular Plant Physiology and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, BE-2020 Antwerp, Belgium
Mostafa A. Abdel-Maksoud: Botany and Microbiology Department, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

Land, 2023, vol. 12, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: The use of beneficial microbes as biofertilizer has become fundamental in the agricultural sector for their potential role in food safety and sustainable crop production. A field trial was conducted to study the influence of beneficial microbes on the efficiency of organic and inorganic sources. The experiment was conducted in two consecutive years (2008–2009 and 2009–2010) in a farmer’s field at Dargai Malakand Division. A randomized complete block design was used with four replications. The results revealed a significantly higher straw and grain nitrogen concentrations for the treatments receiving 50% N from urea + 50% N from FYM + BM, followed by the treatments receiving 50% N from urea + 50% N from (FYM + PM) + BM and 120 kg N ha −1 from urea fertilizer, respectively. Comparing the relevant treatments with and without BM, an increasing trend in N concentrations in straw and grain was observed with BM. The results revealed the highest grain total nitrogen, straw total nitrogen and total nitrogen uptake by wheat crop for the treatments receiving 120 kg N ha −1 from urea, followed by the treatments receiving 50% N from urea + 50% N from PM + BM and 50% N from urea + 50% N from (FYM + PM) + BM. Moreover, after comparing the relevant treatments with and without BM, for the parameters mentioned, an increasing trend in nitrogen uptake was observed. Significantly higher total soil nitrogen was obtained for treatment with 50% N from urea + 50% N from FYM + BM, followed by the treatment with 50% N from urea + 50% N from (FYM + PM) + BM or 50% N from urea + 50% N from PM + BM, respectively, as compared to the control treatment plot. Markedly higher soil mineral nitrogen was obtained for the 50% N from urea + 50% N from (FYM + PM) + BM treatment, followed by the treatment with 50% N from urea + 50% N from FYM + BM and 50% N treatment from urea + 50% N from PM + BM, compared to the control treatment. Comparing the relevant treatments with and without BM, an increasing trend in total soil N (g kg −1 soil) and soil mineral N (mg kg −1 soil) was noted with BM application. From the results, a significant increase in soil organic matter status (g kg −1 soil) due to application of organic and inorganic fertilization was summarized. Significantly higher soil organic matter (g kg −1 soil) was recorded for the treatment receiving 50% N from urea + 50% N from FYM + BM compared to untreated control plots. Our study further revealed an increasing trend in soil organic matter status (g kg −1 soil) when comparing the relevant treatments with and without BM.

Keywords: beneficial microbes; farmyard manure (FYM); poultry manure (PM); beneficial microorganisms (BM); nitrogen uptake and soil mineral nitrogen (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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