Common beans are very significant for poor countries, because they provide high nutritional value, especially in terms
of protein, calories, and trace nutrients, to people who cannot afford more expensive forms of nourishment. The current
experiment was performed to investigate the influence of four different levels of organic fertilizer (compost) in the presence
of mineral N fertilizer, i.e., T1: 25% M-RDN +75% O-RDN; T2: 50% M-RDN +50% O-RDN; T3: 75% M-RDN +25%
O-RDN; and T4 (control): 100% M-RDN (O-RDN, M-RDN= recommended dose of N in organic and mineral forms,
respectively; RDN: 60kg N/fed.) and foliar spray with salicylic acid (SA) at 0, 50, 100, and 150ppm, as well as of their
interaction, on vegetative growth, productivity, and seed quality of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cv. Nebraska.
Obtained results showed that the tallest plants, the highest number of branches per plant, and the heaviest leaf fresh and dry
weight per plant were scored using the combined treatment comprising T4 (100% M-RDN) and SA at 150ppm in the two
seasons. T4-fertilized and 150ppm SA-sprayed plants induced the highest values of leaf N, P, K, and total carbohydrates
(%). The highest seed yield per plant and hectare as well as the highest average weight of 100 seeds were achieved by
plants fertilized with T4 or T3 treatments (75% of M-RDN +25% O-RDN) and sprayed with 150ppm SA in the two
seasons. The combined treatment of T4 and SA at 150ppm caused the statistically highest values of seed N%, P%, total
protein (%), K%, and total carbohydrate (%). In addition, the lowest values of seed nitrate content were achieved by plants
fertilized with the T1 treatment (25% M-RDN +75% O-RDN) and receiving 150ppm SA foliar spray. In conclusion, for
enhanced growth, productivity, and quality of common bean plants, it could be safe to fertilize with 75% M-RDN +25%
M-RDN and spray these plants with SA at 150ppm. |
