Two field experiments were carried out at the Experimental Farm of Mallawi Agric. Res. Station, El-Minia Governorate during the two successive seasons of 2003 and 2004 to investigate the comparative residual effects of two different types of compost (town refuse and filter press mud were subjected to decomposition process for six months before application to soil ) applied at the rates of 3.5, 7.0and 10.5 or 2.0,4.0 and 6.0 ton/fed, respectively either alone or in combination with biofertilizer (Biofertan – T.W.C.310, a mixture of free- living nitrogen fixing bacteria), on grain yield and nutrients uptake by maize plants as a second successive crop after wheat .
Also the effect of these treatments on some chemical properties of the treated soils after harvesting the second crop as maize plants grown in post harvest soils the first crop as wheat plants during the two successive seasons (2002 / 2003) and (2003 / 2004) were studied . The experiment was laid out in split plot design with four replicates . The obtained results revealed that the residual effects of application of compost alone or in combination with biofertan before the first crop (wheat) had a positive effect on improving plant growth parameters . Grain yield , nutrients uptake of the second crop ( maize plants) and chemical properties of treated soil were affected .
The results showed that grains yield of maize plants as well as the uptake of NPK by grains were increased and this increase was proportional to the application rates of compost and biofertan .