Effects of Biofertilizer Application Method with Integrated Chemical Fertilizers on Maize Production and Some Chemical Characteristics of Soil

In order to study the effects of integrated application of bio-fertilizer and chemical fertilizers on yield and yield components of corn, an experiment was conducted in 2008 in Dezful city, (Khoozestan province) in a factorial arrangement based on complete randomized block design with four replications. Treatments were integrated application of biological and chemical fertilizers in four levels (100% chemical fertilizer, 50% chemical fertilizer+ bio-fertilizer, 25% chemical fertilizer + bio-fertilizer and bio-fertilizer) and bio-fertilizer application method in three levels (seed inoculation, fertigation, seed inoculation+fertigation). The results showed that highest and the lowest grain yield was obtained by application of 50% chemical fertilizer+ bio-fertilizer (10.7 t/ha) and bio-fertilizer (5.2 t/ha), respectively. The greatest and the lowest harvest indices were recorded in chemical (0.59) and bio-fertilizer (0.45) treatments, respectively. Number of grain per row and row in ear had not significant differences in integrated and chemical treatments. Methods of bio-fertilizer application had not significant effect on maize yield and yield components. The results of soil analysis showed that bio-fertilizers increased P, K as well as other macro elements availability rather than N. The results revealed that although replacing chemical fertilizers by bio-fertilizers reduced maize growth, but integrated application of these sources produced highest grain yield, nitration elements availability and reduced substantially consumption of fertilizer. The results also indicated that non-chemical sources of crop nutrients can be considered as a reliable alternative for chemical fertilization in ecological production of crops in agro-ecosystems of Iran