The Effect of Organic and Microbial Fertilizers on Growth and Nutrition of Pistachio Seedlings

Nowadays the application of organic and microbial fertilizers has increased regarding the destructive environmental impacts of applying chemical fertilizers and the high cost of production of them. One of the essential components to achieve the sustainable agriculture is integrated plant nutrition through using organic and microbial fertilizers. An experiment was done in a completely randomized factorial design in the greenhouse of University of Vali-e-Asr to evaluate the effect of organic and microbial fertilizers on growth and nutrition of pistachio seedlings. In this experiment two variety of pistachio seeds, Badami-riz Zarand and Qazvini, after sterilization and germination were planted In two separate experiments and were inoculated in 3 level of bacteria (uninoculated (D₀) and inoculated with 2 different strains of Fluorescent Pseudomonads (D₆ and D₁₂)) and 3 level of manure (0 (M₀), 2 (M₂) and 4 (M₄) W/W%) in 3 replications (54 pots). The results indicated that the combined effect of bacteria and manure could rise leaf dry weight (28.1 %), stem dry weight (77.6 %) and shoot dry weight (37.0%) in Badami-riz Zarand variety and 60.4%, 48.6% and 55.0% in Qazvini variety in comparison to control respectively. The application of fertilizer and Bacteria in all of the treatments increased macronutrients and micronutrients uptake. The uptake of Ca raised more than 160% in both of the varieties as well. The uptake of N and P in Qazvini variety was related to M₀D₆ and M₂D₆ which soared 114% and 115% respectively compared to the control. The maximum uptake of Mn in Badami- riz Zarand and Qazvini varieties was indicated in M₂D₆ and M₂D₁₂ which boosted 91.7% and 100% respectively in comparison with the control. M₄D₁₂ demonstrated the highest Fe and Zn uptake (94.4% and 88.1% respectively) compared to the control. Regarding the results, environmental problems and high costs of chemical fertilizers, manure and microbial Fertilizers are recommended for improving growth and nutrition of pistachio.