INFLUENCE OF BIOFERTILIZER AND NPK RATES ON Tagetes minuta, L.

A field experiment was conducted during 2000 and 2001, at 8arramoon
Experimental Farm Dakahlia Governorate to study the effect of mineral and
biofertilizer on growth, yield of leaves and essential oil content. A recommended NPK
fertilizer was applied at three rates of 0,50 and 100 % (41 kg N + 23 kg P20S + 24 kg
K20). Three levels of integrated biofertilizer (1:1 Nitrobein and phosphorein) i.e. 0, 4
and 8 kg/fed were inoculated in seedling hold before transplanting the seedling. Also,
combinations between mineral and biofertilizers were examined. The results showed
that the application of NPK fertilizer at 100 % rate gave high values in plant growth,
yield of leaves and oil content. In addition biofertilizer at 8 kg/fed increased plant
growth, fresh and dry weights of leaves and oil percentage. The highest results were
recorded with combination between NPK fertilizer and biofertilizer at all rates. It was
important to note that superiority values were obtained with NPK (50 %) and
biofertilizer at 8 kg/fed. From the analysis it was noticed that mineral application and
biofertilizers individually induced reduction in the percentage of dihydrotageton and 8-
Ocimene while limonene and tageton percentages were increased. On the other
hand, combination between NPK fertilizer and biofertilizer caused increases in the
percentage of dihydrotagetone, since the highest percentage was 86.352 % with NPK
fertilizer (50 %) combined with integrate biofertilizer 4 kg/fed.