EFFECT OF ORGANIC MANURE AND SLOW-RELEASE N-FERTILIZERS ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) IN SANDY SOIL

Two field experiments were conducted during the two winter seasons of 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 in a private farm at El-Nagah Village, South El-Tahrir province, El-Behaira Governorate, Egypt. The aim of this study was to compare the effect of different forms of nitrogen fertilizer, i.e., ammonium sulphate 20.6% N, ammonium nitrate 33.5% N, and Enciabien 40% N (slow-release) with or without organic manure at 20 m3/fed (4200 m2) on the yield and nutrient contents of the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar Sakha 69. The results indicated that the use of organic manure surpassed the control which gave the highest number of spikes/plant, 1000-grain weight, grain yield (t/fed), crop index, harvest index, grain N, P and protein. The use of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer gave the highest 1000-grain weight, biological yield/plant, grain yield and biological yield (t/fed), grain N and protein if compared with other nitrogen sources. The highest tiller/plant, 1000- grain weight, grain yield (t/fed) and grain N and P gave the best results when slow-release nitrogen fertilizer was combined with organic manure at 20 m3/fed.