African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 11(43), pp.

10079-10088, 29 May, 2012

Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJB
DOI: 10.5897/AJB11.3451
ISSN 1684–5315 ©2012 Academic Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Evaluation of the influence of nitrogen fixing,

phosphate solubilizing and potash mobilizing
biofertilizers on growth, yield, and fatty acid
constituents of oil in peanut and sunflower
Hala F. S. Ahmed and Magda M. I. El-Araby*
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
Accepted 27 January, 2012

Three biofertilizers nitrobein, phosphorein, and potash, containing nitrogen fixing, phosphate
solubilizing, and potash mobilizing microorganisms, respectively were studied in peanut (Arachis
hypogea L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Amendment with each of these biofertilizers
enhanced different growth parameters of 30-day-old peanut and sunflower plants. Dry matter in both
plants was generally correlated with enhancement of chlorophyll a and b pigments with the three used
biofertilizers. The carotenoid contents of these plants were approximately comparable to those of the
corresponding controls. In the field experiment, total biomass and seed yield showed superiority in
peanut and sunflower cultivated in soil incorporated with potash. The enhancement effect was followed
by supplementation of nitrobein in peanut and phosphorein in sunflower plants. The percentage
increase in seed yield, compared to the corresponding controls were 122.03, 120.11, 176.62 in peanut
and 149.22, 168.75, and 173.44 in sunflower for nitrobein, phosphorein and potash amendments,
respectively. The oil content produced per plant was also increased as a result of application of
nitrobein, phosphorein and potash in a similar trend to that obtained with biomass gain and seed yield.
Generally, saturated fatty acid levels (palmitic, stearic and arachidic acids) were decreased and
unsaturated ones, particularly the polyunsaturated essential fatty acids linoleic and linolenic were
evoked with these biofertilizer amendments. Maximum increase in linoleic and linolenic acid were
exerted by phosphorein and nitrobein, respectively in peanut oil and by potash and phosphorein,
respectively in sunflower oil.

Key words: Peanut, sunflower, biofertilizers, growth, yield, oil, fatty acids, sodic soil.

INTRODUCTION

In Egypt, soil fertility is diminishing gradually due to soil microorganisms is of immense value in order to promote
erosions, loss of nutrients, accumulation of salts and toxic the circulation of plant nutrients and reduce the need for
elements, water logging and unbalanced nutrient chemical fertilizers, where organic agriculture is one of
compensation (Kotba et al., 2000). the ways that can produce high quality crops (Zarabi et
One of the main bases of green revolution depends al., 2011). Biofertilizers are organic products containing
upon the availability of fertilizes for high yielding of seeds specific micro-organisms in concentrated forms, derived
and essential agronomical products. Intensive agriculture from the soil root zone (Rhizosphere) (Mishra and
faces the risk of excessive fertilization. Thus, the use of Dadhich, 2010). Consequently, microbiological fertilizers
are considered as an important part of environment
friendly sustainable agricultural practices, with low cost
inputs; mainly including nitrogen fixing, phosphate
*Corresponding author. E-mail: magda_elaraby2005@ solubilizing, potash mobilizing and plant promoting
yahoo.com. microorganisms (Sharma and Namdeo, 1999).
10080 Afr. J. Biotechnol.

Nitrogen supply is a key limiting factor in crop Thus, this present work intended to evaluate the effects
production so; bioN-fertilizers have greater amounts of of three microbiological fertilizers on the growth, yield and
symbiotic and non symbiotic bacteria which are oil contents and properties of sunflower and peanut
responsible of atmospheric nitrogen fixation (Mekonnen plants. The three biofertilizers used included nitrobein
et al., 2003). Bedaiwi et al. (1997) suggested that the use (containing species of the nitrogen fixing non-symbiotic
of microbein and nitrobein as commercial nitrogen bacteria Azospirillum and Azotobacter), phosphorein
biofertilizers gave the same effects as full nitrogen (containing phosphate- dissolving Pseudomonas, Bacillus
application and also 1/3 of the recommended nitrogen and mycorrhyzae species) and potash (containing the
was saved. A similar conclusion was attained on using potash mobilizing symbiotic bacteria Frateuria aurantia).
commercial microbein (Ismail and Hasabo, 2000) and
nitrobein (Abdalla, 2005). The stimulatory effects of
microbein and nitrobein biofertilizers could be attributed MATERIALS AND METHODS
to the activation of the growth of microflora, which might
Two pure strains of peanut (Arachis hypogea L. cv Giza 6) and
also furnish the soil with many plant growth stimulators sunflower (Helianthus annuus cv Ferok) were obtained from the
(Fisinin et al., 1999). Moreover, the influence of nitrogen Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center
on plant growth and development is often connected with (ARC), Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt.
enhancement of photosynthesis because relatively high The three used biofertilizers, namely nitrobein, phosphorein, and
nitrogen levels determine the formation and the functional potash were kindly provided by the Soil Fertility Self- Sponsored
Unit, Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
state of assimilation apparatus of plants (Ivanova and
Vassilev, 2003). Nitrogen does also enhance the
production of bioactive substances such as hormones Pot experiment
and enzymes, which control soil diseases and accelerate
decomposition of lignin materials in the soil (Hussain et The pot experiment trial was carried out in the green house, The
Botanic Garden, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University. Seeds
al., 2002). The concomitant enhancement of growth of the two species were surface sterilized by rinsing for 3 min in
parameters would then improve crop productivity (Ghosh Clorox solution (0.05% NaOCl), followed by rinsing thoroughly in
and Mohiuddin, 2000). Microorganisms in the biological sterilized distilled water. Then, the seeds of each species were air
system also evolve the mineral phosphate solubilizing dried on paper towels.
trait(s) to enhance sufficient phosphorous, where these Four groups of plastic pots (30 cm diameter) containing equal
microorganisms (mainly Pseudomonas, Bacillus and amounts of homogeneous soil (2:1; washed sand: clay) were
prepared. Each group consisted of 5 plastic pots. One group was
mycorrhyzae species) are found in all soils (Zarabi et al., left as a control, whereas the second, third and fourth were
2011). Increased soil fertility and plant growth parameters subjected to equal volumes (recommended rates) of one type of the
were recorded on the use of commercial phosphorein in biofertilizers used (nitrobein, phosphorein and potash). Equal
normal conditions (Hassan et al., 2005; Mostafa and Abo- number of seeds was sown in each pot at constant depth from the
Baker, 2010) and under water stress (Zarabi et al., 2011). surface and equal distances apart, and then covered with equal
amounts of soil, 48 h after addition of the biofertilizers. Each
Phosphorus is involved in cell division and development, biofertilizer was incorporated at a constant volume into the top soil
photosynthesis, breakdown of sugar, energy transfer, layer in each pot. The pots were placed under natural condition of
nutrient transfer within the plant and cell signal day light (14 h) and darkness (10 h), where the temperature varied
transduction (Sharma and Namadeo, 1999), so the from 30 ± 2°C during the day to 18 ± 2°C at night.
supply of this element to plant is essential for achieving Irrigation of all pots was carried out routinely, using a constant
optimum growth and crop yield. amount of tap water. The stage corresponding to 30 day-old plants
were collected for different analysis. Ten randomly chosen plant
At present, there is also considerable interest in the samples were taken for the measurements of different growth
potassium mobilizing symbiotic bacterium Frateuria criteria.
aurantia. The biofertilizer formulations containing this
microorganism enable potash mobilization in the soil to
the plant. It is recommended to be used with many crops Determination of photosynthetic pigments
including peanuts and sunflower (Rodriguez and Fraga, Photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a, b, and carotenoids) were
1999; Asean Agritechnologies Pvt. Ltd., 2011). determined in fresh leaf tissues (the first fully expanded leaf from
Peanut and sunflower plants (Osman and Awed, 2010) the top) following the method of Metzner et al. (1965). A Josco
were selected due to their high economic value as seed V530 UV/ vis spectrophotometer was used for extinction
sources of protein for human, cattle and poultry and as measurements of the acetone (85%) extracts of different pigments.
important sources of oil. According to the USDA (United
States Department of Agriculture) in addition to their high Field experiment
nutritive values, peanut and sun flower oils are
appreciated for their high smoke points (232°C), relative This experiment was carried out at Belbis area (50 km North East
to many other cooking oils. Both peanut and sunflower Cairo) in a sandy, saline sodic newly reclaimed soil. Seeds of the
two species under investigation were sown in randomized plots with
plants are promising for cultivation in wastelands and three replications for each treatment. The area devoted to the
reclaimed soils as well as under stress conditions. experiment was approximately one feddan (4200 m2); 1/ 2 feddan
 Ahmed and El-Araby 10081

Table 1. Chlorophylls a and b, total chlorophylls (a+b), carotenoids and total pigment contents in leaves of peanut and sunflower plants
(30-day-old) under the effect of three biofertilizers namely nitrobein (nitrogen fixing), phosphorein (phosphate solubilizing) and potash
(potash mobilizing).

Plant Treatment Chlorophyll a Chlorophyll b Total Chlorophyll (a +b) Carot Total pigment
Control 14.16 5.63 19.79 2.91 22.70
N 15.57 5.69 21.26 2.31 23.57
Peanut
P 14.4 6.91 21.31 2.51 23.82
K 19.22 7.78 27.00 1.82 28.82

Control 9.93 1.06 10.99 4.93 15.92

N 10.32 1.73 12.05 4.89 16.94
Sunflower
P 10.52 1.76 12.25 4.85 17.13
K 9.78 0.95 10.73 4.57 15.37
Each biofertilizer was incorporated at a constant volume into the surface layer of each pot (30 cm. diameter), 48 h before sowing. Seeds were
sown at equal numbers, depth, and distance apart. Photosynthetic pigments were extracted from the first expanded leaves from the top. The
values listed are the means of duplicate samples for two independent experiments, which showed similar values. The results ar e expressed as
mg/g dry weight equivalent of the leaf tissue.

for each species. Each plot was surrounded from each side by a potash have been used in this present work. Table 1
bare area of two meters to separate the different treatments. The shows the effects of soil incorporation with the
groups within each species were equally divided into four groups,
the first for the control and the second, third and fourth were
recommended rates of each of these biofertilizers on the
subjected to one of the biofertilizers used (nitrobein, phosphorein photosynthetic pigment contents of 30-day-old peanut
and potash). The recommended rates of the biofertilizers were and sunflower plants grown in pots. Generally, the results
mixed in equal amounts of compost and kept overnight. This indicated increased contents of total chlorophylls (a+b)
mixture was incorporated in the soil at the time of sowing. Irrigation and total pigments, in response to different biofertilizer
was regular every 10 days after germination. At harvest, 20 amendments. This increase was more evident on
randomized plants were taken for each measurement with the two
species. Total biomass/plant, fresh weights of pods/plant (in case of application of potash in peanut plants and phosphorein
peanut) or flowers (in case of sunflower), dry seed yield/ plant were and nitrobein, respectively in sunflower plants. Table 1
calculated to evaluate the yield. Mineral and oil contents of the also shows that slight changes, if any, were recorded in
yielded seeds were determined in the dry harvested seeds of each the carotenoid contents of peanut and sunflower plants,
plant. Fractionation of fatty acid esters was also carried out in oil of in response to different fertilizer treatments, as compared
each plant, for comparing the oil components.
with corresponding controls (Sharma and Namadeo,
Soil samples were taken from the experimental site (before
cultivation) at various depths (0, 15, 30 cm) and mixed together. 1999).
Analysis for the physical properties of soil and the chemical Figure 1 shows the effects of the biofertilizer treatments
composition of soil and irrigation water were carried out in the Soil under investigation on the growth parameters of peanut
and Water Research Institute, Agriculture Research Center, and sunflower plants (30-day-old). From this figure, it is
Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt. The methods used are described in obvious that the shoot and root lengths of plants have
details by El-Senoosy (2006).
significantly been increased, in response to the applied
treatments, with maximum effect by potash in case of
Extraction and determination of total lipids and estimation of peanut and each of phosphorein and potash in sunflower.
fatty acids by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) The fresh and dry weights of both plants also showed
Oil was extracted from the harvested dry seeds of peanuts and
significant increments as a result of soil amendment with
sunflower, according to Floch et al. (1957). Fractionation of fatty the three biofertilizers under investigation, with a
acid methyl esters was carried out by GLC according to Kates maximum effect by potash. In this respect, phosphorein
(1972). generally exerted higher increase in the growth
parameters of both plants over that induced by nitrobein.
Statistical analysis

Statistical analysis was done using "T test" (Snedecor and Cochran, Field experiment
1980). In case of photosynthetic pigments, total lipids and fatty
acids the values of duplicate samples were remarkably close, so
This experiment was carried out in field in a newly
only the mean values were presented.
reclaimed soil at Belbis desert (55 km Northern East
Cairo) in a private farm. The results of soil and water
RESULTS analyses of the experimental site shown in Table 2
revealed that soil was saline- sodic (EC of soil solution =
-1 +
Three biofertilizers namely nitrobein, phosphorein, and 8.82 dsm ), where the source of salinity is mainly Na
10082 Afr. J. Biotechnol.

Figure 1. Different growth criteria of peanut and sunflower plants (30-day-old) under the effect of three biofertilizers
namely nitrobein (nitrogen fixing), phosphorein (phosphate solubilizing), and potash (potash mobilizing). Each biofertiler
was incorporated at a constant volume into the surface layer of each pot (30 cm diameter), 48 h before sowing. Seeds
were sown at equal numbers, depth and distances apart. The values presented are the means of 10 replicates ±
standard deviations. (*p ≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01 calculated by the student’s t test).
 Ahmed and El-Araby 10083

Table 2. Physical and chemical properties of soil (soil suspension 1: 2.5 soil: irrigation water) and analysis of ground irrigation water
(well) in the experimental site of a newly reclaimed soil at Belbis desert, 55 km Northern East Cairo.

Physical property, EC, pH and CaCO3

-1
Soil type Particle size (%) Texture EC dsm pH CaCO3
Sand Silt Clay
Sandy 8.82 8.45 Negative
Sandy 96 2 2

Chemical property
-1 -1
Soluble cations (meq 1 ) Soluble anions (meq 1 )
+ 2+ 2+ - - 2-
Na Ca Mg Cl HCO3 SO4
61.67 14.25 7.33 38.97 3.41 38.98

Available nutrient elements (ppm)

N P K Fe Zn Mn
22.45 2.23 75.01 0.82 0.42 0.23

Irrigation water
EC, pH and soluble cations and anions
EC (dsm-1) pH Soluble cations (meq 1-1) Soluble anions (meq 1-1)
Na+ K+ Ca2+ Mg 2+
Cl- CO32- HCO3- SO42-
13.09 0.19 15.90 11.98 18.0 -ve 6.6 16.34

Nutrient elements
N P K Fe Zn Mn Cu B
5.97 Trace 1.78 0.05 -ve -ve -ve 1.99

ions (concentration = 61.67 meq 1-1). Irrigation water was value, in soil amendments with nitrobein and potash (in
moderately saline (2800 ppm). the given manner), but was slightly decreased in
The results presented in Figure 2 show that all the yield application of phosphorein. In sunflower seeds, the oil
criteria of peanut and sunflower plants at harvest time content was increased in treatment with potash and
[plant total biomass, fresh weight of pods (peanut) or decreased on application of nitrobein and phosphorein,
fresh weight of flowers (sunflower)/ plant, number of with further decrease in the former.
seeds/plant and weight of seeds/ plant] significantly The soil incorporation treatments with nitrobein,
increased as a result of different biofertilizer treatments, phosphorein and potash biofertilizers had generally
as compared with the corresponding control values. remarkable effects on fatty acid constituents of peanut
Figure 3 shows that the percentage increases over the and sunflower oils (Table 3). Saturated fatty acids namely
control values in dry mass gain were in peanut 178.59, palmitic (C16:0), stearic (C18:0), arachidonic acid (C20:0)
146.70, and 192.71 and in sunflower, 116.91, 131.68, were in most cases decreased, whereas unsaturated
and 146.03, in response to supplementation of nitrobein, fatty acids particularly the polyunsaturated fatty acids
phosphorein, and potash, respectively. The percentage (PUFAs) linoleic (C18:2) and linolenic (C18:3) were
increase in yield showed similar trends to those obtained obviously increased as compared with those of
with their corresponding dry mass values, reaching corresponding controls.
122.03, 120.11, 176.62 in peanut and 149.22, 168.75,
and 173.44 in sunflower, for nitrogen, phosphorein, and
potash amendments, respectively. The biofertilizer- DISCUSSION
enhancement effects on yield were also higher in
sunflower than peanut (Figure 3). Soil incorporation with the recommended rates of each of
Table 3 shows the changes in the oil contents and fatty three biofertilizers, namely nitrobein, phosphorein, and
acid components of the yielded seeds of peanut and potash, generally led to enhancement of the
sunflower plants as a result of soil incorporation photosynthetic pigment contents of leaves in 30-day-old
treatments with the biofertilizers nitrobein, phosphorein peanut and sunflower plants (Table 1). This increase was
and potash. In peanut seeds, the oil percentage was expressed as elevated total chlorophylls (a+b) and total
increased, as compared with the corresponding control pigments (total chlorophylls+carotenoids), particularly on
10084 Afr. J. Biotechnol.

500
Biomass/plant (g)

400
300
200
100
0

1600
No. of seeds/plant

1400
1200
1000
800
600
400
200
0

20.00
Wt. of Dry seeds/plant

15.00

10.00

5.00

0.00

Figure 2. Different yield criteria of peanut and sunflower plants at harvesting stage, in response to the effects of three biofertilizers
namely nitrobein (nitrogen fixing), phosphorein (phosphate solubilizing), and potash (potash mobilizing). The experiment was
carried out in the field in a newly reclaimed soil at Belbis desert region. The recommended rates of the biofertilizers were mixed in
equal amounts of compost and kept overnight, then incorporated in the soil at the time of sowing. The values presented are the
means of 20 randomized replicates ± standard deviations. (*p≤ 0.05, **p ≤ 0.01 calculated by the student’s t test).
 Ahmed and El-Araby 10085

Figure 3. The percentage increase in the main yield criteria at harvest time (mean total biomass/ plant
and mean weight of yielded seeds/ plant in grams), of peanut and sunflower plants as a result of soil
incorporation treatments with the recommended rates of the commercial biofertilizers nirtobein (N),
phosphorein (P) and potash (K). The results were taken for the plants cultivated in a newly reclaimed
sandy saline sodic soil at Belbis desert (EC of soil solution = 8.82 dsm-1, Na+ ion concentration = 61.67
meq 1-1) irrigated by moderately saline ground water (2800 ppm).

Table 3. The percentage of oil content of seeds (g/ 100 g), oil content produced / plant, and the fatty acid composition (g/ 100 g oil) of the
harvested dry seeds of peanut and sunflower plants as a result of soil incorporation treatments with the recommended rates of the commercial
biofertilizers nitrobein (N), phosphorein (P) and potash (K).

Fatty acid
% Oil in Oil content of Saturated Unsaturated
Plant Treatment
seeds seeds/ plant
C16:0 C18:0 C20:0 C18:1 C18:2 C18:3
Control 42.2 4.41 17.69 2.61 0.62 47.08 28.59 0.08
N 49.1 6.26 16.38 2.89 0.46 49.69 29.46 0.16
Paenut
P 41.1 5.15 12.24 2.46 1.31 50.16 32.18 0.12
K 46.4 8.12 12.66 2.08 1.38 50.15 28.98 0.13
Control 44.35 28.38 8.09 3.06 0.32 41.85 37.43 0.01
N 36.1 34.48 5.87 2.99 0.24 47.93 42.69 0.07
Sunflower
P 41.7 45.04 6.23 3.16 0.20 50.57 42.77 0.15
K 46.1 51.17 5.94 2.20 0.21 47.44 46.96 0.06
-1
The results are taken for the plants cultivated in a newly reclaimed sandy saline sodic soil (EC of soil solution = 8.82 dsm , Na ion concentration = 61.67
-1
meg l ) irrigated by moderately saline ground water (2800 ppm). Seeds were taken from at least 20 randomly choice plants. The values listed are the
means of duplicate samples C16:1 = palmitoleic acid, C18:1 = oleic acid, C18:2 = linoleic acid, C18:3 = linolenic acid.

application of potash in peanut and phosphorein or peanut and each of phosphorein and potash in sunflower.
nitrobein, respectively in sunflower plants. Other workers The fresh and dry weights of both plants showed
also reported enhancement of photosynthetic pigments maximum increase over the control in response to
and efficiency, as a result of treatments with biofertilizers application of potash. Phosphorein also generally exerted
including nitrobein and phosphorein (Nijjar, 1990; Hassan higher increase in the growth parameters of both peanut
et al., 2005; Mostafa and Abo- Baker, 2010). The growth and sunflower plants than nitrobein (Figure 1). In this
parameters of peanut and sunflower plants (30-day-old) present work (Table 1 and Figure 1), it could also be
showed also significantly increased shoot and root concluded on the bases of the results obtained that the
lengths with a maximum effect by potash in case of increment in total chlorophylls and total photosynthetic
10086 Afr. J. Biotechnol.

pigments coincided to a wide extent with the concomitant sunflower plants [plant total biomass, fresh weight of
increase of the dry mass gain of the plants subjected to pods (peanut) or fresh weight of flowers (sunflower)/
the different biofertilizer treatment. Increment of growth plant, number of seeds/plant and weight of seeds/ plant]
parameters by biofertilizer treatments has been recorded at harvest time (Figure 2). In this respect, the percentage
in many plants; for example, soybean (Javaid and increase in yield of both peanut and sunflower plants
Mahmood, 2010), wheat (Javaid and Shah, 2010), and showed similar trends to those obtained with their
lettuce (Hasaneen et al., 2009). This might indicate that corresponding dry mass values. Best results for biomass
dry matter accumulation in peanut plants was directly and seed yield were obtained by potash in both plants
correlated with increased capacity for enhancement of (Figure 3). As a result of potash treatment, the increases
chlorophyll a and b pigments (Jungklang, 2005). in dry mass gain (as compared to the controls) were
However, this conclusion was not consistent in sunflower 192.71 and 146.03% in peanut and sunflower,
plants, in which potash treatment resulted in evoked dry respectively whereas the percentages increase in yield
mass accumulation in spite of their decreased were 167.62 and 173.44 in the given manner. This
photosynthetic pigment contents. This might be assumed conclusion could be supported by other research work,
+
to a potash enhancement effect in sunflower plants on dealing with involvement of K in plant metabolic
processes other than photosynthetic pigment content. In processes which lead to improvement of growth and crop
this respect, plant growth and development may be yield (Innocenti et al., 2009; Dixit et al., 2011) and
connected with evoked functional state of the assimilation alleviation of stress conditions (Tomar and Dwivedi,
apparatus of plants and phytohormone balance rather 2008). Potash performance in this present work was
than elevated photosynthetic pigments (Ivanova and followed by nitrobein in peanuts and phosphorein in
Vassilev, 2003). Biofertilizer treatments stimulated net sunflower plants. However, application of nitrogen and
assimilation rates and plant growth indirectly via the phosphorus biofertilizers is also known to enhance yield
production of growth promoting substances (Abu-Hussein in many crops both leguminous and non-leguminous
et al., 2002) and bioactive substances such as hormones (Daiss et al., 2008; Javaid, 2009; Zarabi et al., 2011). It
and enzymes (Hussain et al., 2002). should also be added that the enhancement of total
The enhancement effect of potash is usually attributed biomass yield, as a result of biofertilizer amendment, is
to potash mobilization in the soil to the plant. Therefore, it not only of significance for the plant productivity of seeds
is recommended for stimulating growth productivity and but also required for use as animal forages and silage in
yield components in many crops including peanuts and both peanut (Eckert et al., 2010) and sunflower
sunflower (Rodriguez and Fraga, 1999; Asean (Mafakher et al., 2010).
Agritechnologies Pvt. Ltd., 2011). The stimulatory effect Peanut and sunflower are considered to be partially
of biophosphorus fertilizers on plant growth and salinity tolerant and recommended for cultivation in
marketable yields have been concluded to result from the wastelands and reclaimed sandy soils (Mostafa and Abo-
ability of their included microorganisms to: (a) convert Baker, 2010; Osman and Awed, 2010; EU BAN on
insoluble phosphate to soluble forms and/ or to secret Egyptian Peanuts import, 2011). Thus, the pronounced
organic acids such as formic, acetic and lactic acids, enhancement of the yield of peanut and sunflower (over
which lower the soil pH value, thus enable the dissolution the control) in this present work in spite of the
of bound forms of phosphate to be available to plants pronounced salinity of the experimental field would be
(Abdalla, 2002; Hassan et al., 2005). The positive effect attributed to an ameliorating effect of the three
of N-biofertilizers on plant growth is mainly attributed to biofertilizers under investigation (Table 3). In this context,
enhancement of atmospheric nitrogen fixation (Mekonnen the adverse effects of salinity on plant growth and
et al., 2003). Fisinin et al. (1999) also suggested that productivity are well known factors among other stressful
nitrogen biofertilizers led to activation of the growth of conditions (Orcutt and Nilsen, 2000). On the other hand,
microflora, which might furnish the soil with many plant the ameliorative effects of biofertilizers to salinity and
growth stimulators. other stresses are also reported by many authors
A field experiment was also designed in this present (Hasaneen et al., 2009; Zarabi et al., 2011). The results
work to investigate the effects of nitrobein, phosphorein, obtained in this present work showed different
and potash on the productivity and oil properties of magnitudes of responsiveness of peanut and soybean
peanut and soybean plants in a newly reclaimed soil at plants to the applied biofertilizers. Thus, it might be
Belbis desert (55 km Northern East Cairo). Analyses of concluded that elucidation of the nutrient ratios is a
soil and water in the experimental site indicated a saline- critical process which must be determined for each plant
sodic soil (EC of soil solution = 8.82 dsm-1), where the alone to realize the proper fertilizer rate required to
source of salinity is mainly Na+ ions (concentration = optimize its yield potential. In this connection, Ranade-
-1
61.67 meq1 ). Irrigation water was moderately saline Malvi (2011) pointed that extensive work is required to
(2800 ppm). understand the nutrient requirements of each plant
The different biofertilizers under investigation led to species so as to bridge the gap between potential yields
significant increases in all the yield criteria of peanut and and actual yields.
 Ahmed and El-Araby 10087

The oil contents and fatty acid components of the (Palomboa et al., 2002). Maximum increase in linoleic
yielded seeds of peanut and sunflower plants were also acid and linolenic acid was achieved by phosphorein and
increased as compared with the corresponding control nitrobein, respectively in peanut oil and by potash and
value in response to soil amendment with nitrobein or phosphorein, respectively in sunflower oil.
potash (in the given manner), but were slightly decreased
on application of phosphorein. This conclusion could be
supported by the results of other workers, showing REFERENCES
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