Two field experiments were conducted at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Egypt during two successive growing seasons of 2018/2019 and 2019/2020. The aims of the experiments were to investigate the effects of mineral and organic fertilizers as soil amendments on growth, physiological traits, yield, and technological and rheological properties of some Egyptian and Omani bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties. The treatments were arranged in a spilt-plot design with three replications, where the wheat varieties (i.e. four varieties) were occupied in the main plots, while the fertilization treatments (five treatments) were randomly distributed in the sub- plots. The tested experimental treatments are as follow:
A) Varieties:
1- Gemmiza 12 (Egyptian variety)
2- Sakha 95 (Egyptian variety)
3- Missani (Omani variety)
4- Cooley (Omani variety)
B) Fertilizer treatments (mineral and organic fertilization):
100% N as mineral fertilizer (80 kg N fed-1)
50% N (40 kg N fed-1) + 50% compost (2.0 ton DM fed-1)
50% N (40 kg N fed-1) + 50% biochar (2.0 ton DM fed-1)
50% N (40 kg N fed-1) + 50% biogas (2.0 ton DM fed-1)
50% N (40 kg N fed-1) + 50% poultry manure (2.0 ton DM fed-1)
The results can be summarized as follows:
Data in the current study showed that the Egyptian wheat varieties had the highest values of yield and its components, carbohydrates and some of quality traits, while the Omani wheat varieties had the highest values of plant height, straw yield/ fed, protein and water absorption percentages.
From the abovementioned text, it is concluded that the application of organic fertilizers (i.e. 50% biogas or 50% poultry manure) in a combination with 50% mineral N had positive effects on the growth, yield and quality of wheat.
Significant improvements in grain yield and the most effective traits of quality were obtained from Gemmeiza 12 and Sakha 95 varieties when fertilized with 50% mineral N + 50% biogas (F3) or 50% mineral N + 50% poultry manure (F5) along with 100% mineral N (F1), which were found to be the most optimal combined treatments for maximize wheat grain yields under the environmental conditions of studies regions (i.e. Menoufia Governorate).