Prof. Hassan Hamza Abbas Ramdan :: Publications:

The objective of the current investigation was to study both the direct and residual effects of cattle waste manure, elemental sulfur, at different rate, nitrogen in different forms, phosphorus at different rates on growth parameters and yield of both grains and straw of wheat succeeded by maize grown on a calcareous soil. To fulfill this objective, two field experiments were conducted on El-Nubaria calcareous soils (CaCO3>34%) in the first experiment, cattle waste was applied at a rate of 12 ton fed-1 with elemental sulfur at a rate of 0, 50 or 100% of its recommended dose 100 kg fed-1, N in the form of urea, ammonium nitrate or ammonium sulfate at a rate of 120 kg fed-1 and P at a rate of 0, 50 or 100 % of its recommended P dose, 150 kg fed-1. the experimental plots were distributed in a split-split design. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L, Giza 163) was cultivated. Within the first half on November 2005 then harvested in May 2006. The second experiment was conducted to study the residual effect of the aforementioned treatments on maize (Zea maize L., single hybrid 10) cultivated at the same experimental plots in the second half of April 2006 and harvested at the end of August. Results revealed that both plant height and weight of 100 grains positively responded to the application of the cattle waste (CW), elemental S, N and P especially at the recommended doses of S, the highest applied rate of P and ammonium sulfate fertilizers as a N source. Both the grain and straw yields as well as the biological yield were affected obviously by rate of the applied sulfur, form of the applied nitrogen and rate of the applied phosphorous. The higher the arte of the applied sulfur, the higher the grain, straw, and biological yields were obtained. The nitrogen applied in the form of ammonium sulfate was of a superior effect on yield components. Application of phosphorous was more pronounced by increasing rate of the applied phosphate. Sulfur application could result in increases in nitrogen uptake values by grains and straw of both of the investigated plants. Application of N, regardless of its applied form resulted in higher N-uptake values by grains and straw in both the studied plants as compared with the corresponding N-uptake values attained in control treatments which did not receive N-fertilizer. The highest values of N uptake by both grains in straw of both the investigated plants were attained due to application of n as ammonium sulfate. Application of sulfur enhanced availability of P and hence its uptake. The applied N forms could be arranged according to their effect on increasing P uptake values in the following decreasing sequence ammonium sulfate > ammonium nitrate > urea. Moreover, application of phosphate was noticed to be associated with corresponding increases in its uptake values by grains and straw. Values of K uptake were indirect proportion to rate of the applied sulfur. K-uptake values by both wheat and maize plants showed almost similar trends to those of N and P. This observation hold true for both grains and straw of the cultivated plants. The ammonium sulfate form resulted in the highest K-uptake values whereas urea fertilizer was associated generally with the lowest K-uptake values. It is of importance also to indicate that the beneficial effects of the used fertilization treatments extended to the maize plants which were cultivated succeeding wheat in the same soil.