RESPONSE OF ALFALFA SEED YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS TO PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZING SYSTEMS AND SEEDING RATE AT SEMI-SALINE SOIL CONDITIONS

To study the effects of phosphorus (P) fertilizer (cow manure, phosphorus solublizing bacteria) and sowing density on seed production of alfalfa, an experiment was laid out in a three-replicated split-split plot design with four phosphorus fertilizer rates (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg ha−1) in main plots, three phosphorus-solublizing bacteria (9, 41strains, and no bacteria) in sub-plots and three sowing densities (2, 6 and 10 kg ha−1) in sub-sub plots. The highest seed yield resulted from 60 and 90 kg P ha−1. Application of bacteria strain 41 was more efficient than bacteria strain 9 in seed yield and 1000-seed weight. Seed yield at 6 seed kg ha−1 treatment was higher than 10 kg ha−1, although there was no significant difference between them. Based on the results of this experiment the triple application of P60, B41 and SD6 could be recommended as the best treatment for seed production of alfalfa (Cultivar ‘Nikshahri’) under the semi-saline condition.