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Under the conditions of Egyptian soils, in which the soil pH rises to more than 7.5 - 8.2, phosphorus is deposited in the form of tri calcium phosphate Ca (PO4)2, which is a complex form that is not ready for the plant. To address this issue, a field trial was conducted over the 2020/21 and 2021/2022 seasons using a split-plot experimental design. The primary objective was to enhance soil phosphorus availability and assess its impact on faba bean growth through mineral, bio, and organic fertilization, alongside foliar feeding with iron and zinc. The main factor in the experiment involved soil additions, including control (no additions), calcium superphosphate, compost, citric acid, phosphorine, and a combined treatment of compost and citric acid. The sub-main factor considered foliar application of microelements, with options being no application, iron application, and zinc application. Various parameters, such as nutrient availability (N, P, K, mgkg-1) in soil and organic matter (%) were determined at the harvest stage. Additionally, chemical constituents (N, P, K %) in straw and seeds, along with iron and zinc concentrations (mg kg-1) and protein (%) in seeds, were assessed at harvest. Yield-related components, including the number of pods plant-1, weight of seed pod-1 (g), weight of 100 seed (g), seed yield (ardb fed-1) and straw yield (ton fed-1),were also measured. The results indicated that all soil additions significantly increased soil phosphorus availability as well as other nutrient availability compared to the control treatment, with the combined treatment (compost + citric) showing superior effects on both soil nutrient availability. The impact of foliar applications of iron and zinc on soil properties was not clearly discernible. In terms of plant-related parameters and yield components, the combined treatment (compost + citric) exhibited the highest values, followed by compost, calcium superphosphate, citric acid, phosphorine, and the control treatments, respectively. Regarding foliar application, iron treatment demonstrated the most substantial increase in chemical traits and yield parameters, followed by zinc treatment, while the control treatment realized the lowest values. These findings underscore the potential of specific soil additions and foliar applications in mitigating phosphorus-related challenges and enhancing faba bean growth in alkaline Egyptian soils.
naqma et al. (Fri,) studied this question.