A field experiment was carried out at Markaz Badr, El Bohera governorate, Egypt during two successive growing seasons of 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 to assess the effect of foliar spray and soil application of organic manures extracts (1 manure : 12 water w/w) on faba bean yield as well as nutrient composition of faba bean plants grown on a sandy soil. There were two factors under study (1) Organic manure type (pigeon, chicken and biogas) and (2) Method of application (soil, at a rate of 10 Mg/ha [1Mg "megagram" = 106g] and foliar, at a rate of 1800 L/ha). Faba bean (Vicia faba L. cv Giza 717) was used. Seed and straw yields as well as 100-seed weight of faba bean plants were significantly increased as compared with the corresponding values of the untreated soil. Foliar application was superior to soil application in most parameters including seed yield and uptake of nutrients in seeds. Superiority of foliar spray occurred in particular where pigeon manure was used. Generally, pigeon manure was the most effective source on both seed and straw yields besides the 100-seeds weight. N,P and K uptake values by seeds and straw attained by different fertilization treatments were significantly higher than the corresponding values of the untreated one. Differences among values of N and P uptake by seeds with pigeon manure, chicken manure and biogas manure were significant with superiority of the pigeon manure treatment over the other two treatments its superiority over the others was most pronounced under conditions of spray and where uptake of nutrients by seeds was concerned. K uptake by seeds of plants manured with the pigeon manure was significantly higher than the corresponding ones with chicken manure or biogas manure. Fe, Mn and Zn uptake by seeds were highest in seeds with biogas manure, lowest with the chicken manure. |
