International Journal of Agriculture and Crop Sciences.

Available online at www.ijagcs.com

IJACS/2013/5-21/2618-2621.
ISSN 2227-670X ©2013 IJACS Journal

Effects of chemical fertilizers and

biostimulantscontaining amino acid on yield and
growth parameters of broad bean (Viciafaba L.)
Moslem Raeisi1*, Leila Farahani2, Somaye Shams 3
1. Agricultural Department, Jiroft Branch, Islamic Azad University, Jiroft, Iran.
2. Young Researchers and Elite Club, Arak Branch, Islamic Azad University, Arak, Iran.
3. Master science in Plant breeding and Member of Young Researcher Society, Faculty of Agricultureal,
Shahidbahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran

*Corresponding author email: moslem.r2007@gmail.com

ABSTRACT:Application of biological fertilizers is a promising approach in reducing environmental

pollution and achieving sustainable agriculture. In order to evaluate effect of chemical fertilizers and
biostimulants containing amino acid on yield and growth properties of broad bean, the experiment was
carried out as completely randomized block with three replicates in 2012. The treatments including 1)
NPK151500 ppm, 2) NPK153000 ppm , 3) NPK20 1500 ppm, 4) NPK20 3000 ppm, 5) Humiforte (H) 1500
ppm, 6) H 3000 ppm, 7) Fosnutren (F) 1500 ppm, 8) F 3000 ppm, 9) Kadostim (K) 1500 ppm, 10) K 3000
ppm and 11) control. Results of the experiment indicated that number of pods in shrub, affected by above
treatments at 1% of probability level, while number of flowers in shrub, yield in shrub and total yield
affected by the treatments at 5% of probability level. It was no significant difference among treatments for
length of pods, number of seeds in pod, weight of single pod, 1000-seed weight and plant height. The
highest number of pods in shrub and number of flower in shrub was in K 3000 ppm.
Key words:Biostimulants;Fosnutren; Humiforte; Kadostim; SustainableAgriculture

INTRODUCTION

Broad bean (Viciafaba L.) is one of the oldest crops which its protein richness; diversity in agricultural
systems and trend to self- sufficiency in its production and finally increasing cost of feed, made it cultivated
extremely, recently. This plant originated from Europe and western of Asia, and now the china is the majorbroad
bean producing country which accounted for 52% of cultivated area and production of 52.54% of broad bean in the
world. Nutrient value of broad been is due to high protein and essential amino acids like lisetin, Arginin and
metionin, which is richer than grain kernels (Sohrabi1989).
In order to increase agricultural products, various agronomical practices like consumption of chemicals
were applied. However application of chemicals resulted in higher yield in various crops, but recently environmental
pollution especially in soil and water resources threatened human health (Jahan and Koocheki, 1999). Therefore,
many efforts were done to found appropriate approaches for improvement of soil quality, agricultural products and
pollution elimination.Biostimulants are compounds which stimulated plant growth. Some of them are effective
compounds in increasing plant favorable responses and the others stimulated quantitative and qualitative growth of
plant (Gawronaka, 2008). In general, they stimulated metabolically processes to achieved higher yield in plants
(Starck 2005). Studding effect of biostimulants and mineral fertilizers, Adediran and Akande (2005) reported
significant difference between them on yield of tomato. Alaei et al. (2012) investigated effect of two biological
fertilizers containing amino acids on germination indices of wheat varieties under drought stress in vitro. They
reported significant difference between biostimulants and control and the Fosnutren had the highest effect on
wheat germination. In addition, the use of biostimulators in condition of environmental stress can decrease effects
of stress and enhance soil water holding capacity, root growth and yield (Li and Ni, 1996; Fisher and Wilson, 1975).
Obviously, combined application of organic fertilizer and urea fertilizer or combination urea fertilizer and polyamines
significantly increased yield, vegetative growth and chlorophyll index (Oad et al., 2004; Zeid, 2008). Slawik (2005)
Intl J Agri Crop Sci. Vol., 5 (21), 2618-2621, 2013

applied humiforte to stimulate shoot growth of Norway spruce. Humiforte is a soluble liquid nutrient, with rapidly
absorption via leaves or roots, and a high concentration of free amino acids and biologically active oligopeptides,
especially recommended for shock treatments. Alaei (2011) investigate effect of Kadostim on wheat plant under
drought stress, while Glinicki (2010) reported beneficial effect of biostimulantResistim on strawberry fruit. This
experiment was conducted to evaluate effects of chemical fertilizers including NPK and biostimulants including
Kadostim, Fosnutrenand Humiforteindifferent levels (150 and 3000 ppm) on yield and growth parameters in broad
bean.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

The study was carried out in experimental field of Islamic Azad University, Jiroft branch, Jiroft, Iran in 2012
with26° 43'- 29° 35' North latitude and 56° 17'- 59° 2' East longitude, 625.6 m above sea level, rainfall with an
annual mean of 150 mm, mean of humidity 55-65%, maximum and minimum of temperature 48 and 0 °C. The
experiment was conducted in arandomized complete blocks with three replications. After field preparation and
before seed culturing, ammonium phosphate (150 kg/ha) added to soil. Each plot consisted of five rows and 4 m
long. The seeds were considered with in-row spacing 20 cm and 30 cm between rows. The treatments including
chemical fertilizers (NPK15 and NPK20) and three kinds of biostimulants of Humiforte, Fosnutren and Kadostim in
different concentration of 1500 and 3000 ppm, and control. The treatments were applied when 1) 12-13 leaves, 2)
7 days after first treatment, and 3) in flowering stage. In harvesting, some properties including number of pods in
bush, pod length, number of seeds in pod, weight of single pod, 1000- seeds weight, number of flowers in bush,
yield in bush, yield and plant height were measured.
The collected data were subjected to analysis of variance with SAS ver. 9.1 and the means were separated
using Least Significant Difference (LSD) test.

RESULTS

Results of this experiment indicated that number of pods and flowers in shrub, yield in shrub and m2 were
affected by application of chemical fertilizers and growth stimuli; there were no significant difference among
treatments for other properties (Table 1).

Table 1. Analysis of variance (Mean of squares) of effects of chemical fertilizers and biostimulants on broad bean
properties
100-seeds weight

Plant height (cm)

Weight of single

Yield/ shrub (g)

Yield/ m2 (kg)
Flower/shrub
Pods length
Pods/shrub

S.O.V DF
Seeds/pod

pod (g)

(g)

ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns ns
Rep 2 2.27 0.37 0.12 10.09 0.84 221.18 24.93 0.001 39.68
** ns ns * ns ns * * ns
Treatments 10 16.07 1.87 0.75 15.66 2.49 96.53 23.49 0.035 18.5
Error 20 3.77 7.42 0.42 5.55 1.11 518.44 8.87 0.01 24.97
cv 17.51 17.8 12.59 19.64 9.57 13.72 4.22 6.13 8.62
** and *: significant at 1% and 5% of probability level, ns: not significant

Number of pods in shrub

As shown in Table 1, there was significant difference among treatments at 1% of probability level. The
greatest number of pods was in those plants which treated with Kadostim 3000 ppm (n=15), while the least was in
control (n=7). Also, there was no significant difference among Kadostim 3000 ppm with Humiforte 3000 ppm (n=
13.66), F 3000 ppm (n= 13.33) (Table 2).

Number of flowers in shrub

Number of flowers in shrub affected by chemicals and growth stimuli significantly (P <0.05) (table 1). The
maximum number of flowers was in Kadostim 3000 ppm (n= 16.33), while the least number was in control (n= 8.33)
(Table 2).

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Yield in shrub
There was significant difference among treatments for yield of broad bean in shrub (P<0.05). Highest yield was seen in Humiforte 1500
ppm (74.33 g), but it was lowest in control (66 g) (Table 2).

Total Yield
yield of broad bean affected by chemical and biostimulantssignificantly (P<0.05). The highest yield was in broad bean which treated with
Humiforte 3000 ppm (2.04 kg/m2), while it was lowest in control (1.67 kg/m2) (Table 2).

Table 2. Mean comparison of broad bean properties treated with chemical fertilizers and biostimulants

Weight of single pod (g)

1000-seeds weight (g)

Total Yield (kg/m )

2

Plant height (cm)

Yield/ shrub (g)
treatments

Flower/shrub
Pods length
Pods/shrub

Seeds/pod
e a ab d abc a e e a
control 7 15.66 4.66 8.33 11.33 169.67 66 1.67 62.33
abc a abcd abdc ab a a abcd a
H 1500ppm 12.66 16 5.33 12.33 12 158 74.33 1.86 58
ab a ab dc c a ab a a
H 3000 ppm 13.66 16.16 5 11.33 10 167.67 73.66 2.04 55.5
bc a ab bcd c a abc abc a
F 1500 ppm 11.66 14.33 4.66 11.66 10 171 73.33 1.94 56.16
abc a a bcd abc a abcd cd a
F 3000 ppm 13.33 15.66 5.66 11.66 11.33 171.67 72.33 1.8 55.66
cde a b ab bc a abcd abc a
K 1500 ppm 10 14.5 4.33 15.66 10.66 161 70 1.92 54.83
a a a a a a abcd ab a
K 3000 ppm 15 16.33 5.66 16.33 12.66 156.33 72 2.01 58.5
bcd a a cd bc a bcde cd a
NPK15 1500ppm 11 15.16 5.66 10.66 10.66 171 68.66 1.8 60.5
cde a ab cd ab a de abc a
NPK15 3000 ppm 10 14.36 5.33 10.66 12 168.67 67.33 1.97 58.33
cd a a cd c a abcde abcd a
NPK20 1500 ppm 10.33 14.33 5.66 10.66 10 169 69.33 1.86 56.5
de a ab abc bc a cde bcd a
NPK20 3000 ppm 8.33 15.83 4.66 12.66 10.66 161 68.33 1.82 61
In each column, means with similar letter do not differ significantly according to LSD Test (P < 0.05)
H: Humiforte, F: Fosnutren, K: Kadostim

DISCUSSION

Results of this study indicated that application of biostimulants were effective in improvement of yield in broad bean significantly (P<0.05)
(Table 1). Gawronaka (2008) pointed the ability of biostimulants on biochemical processes in plant and soil and finally growth and improvements of
plants. So, it seems that application of the biostimulants is a promising method in improvement of yield in broad bean. Results of this experiment
indicated that the biostimulants were more effective than chemicals for increase of yield and its components (Table 2). Maybe the amino acids
which are in biostimulants are responsible for these increases. Higher mRNA transcription up to 2.5 fold, activation of reproductive growth- involved
hormones, production of carbohydrates, higher absorption and element transition, higher protein in plants caused improvement of yield and related
parameters in plants in environmental stresses (Thomas et al., 2009; Gawronaka 2008). Results of this experiment indicated that application of K
3000 ppm, resulted the maximum number of pods and flower in bush (Table 2). Our results supported the works of Anonymous (2008) who
reported the improvement of number of inflorescence in branch and number of flower in inflorescence in olive by application of Kadostim.

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Also, the highest yield was in those which treated with H 3000 ppm in comparison with control (Table 2). It
seems that combination of free amino acids, oligopeptids and NPK, which presented in Humiforte caused increase
in yield. Also, the NPK presented in H resulted in higher productivity and soil structure improvement which affected
plant yield. These results are in agreement with Slawik (2005), investigating effects of Humiforte, Kadostim,
Fosnutren on Piceaabies (L.) Karst. Also, similar results were obtained by other scholars (Vogtmann et al., 1993; Li
et al., 2000; Sabirov et al., 2003; Yildirim 2007).
According to this experiment, application of chemicals like NPK fertilizers was not much effective in improvement of
yield, or at least fewer than biostimulants (Table 2). Amino acids which presented in biostimulants have important
roll in biosynthesis of harmonic and metabolic second compounds. Also, availability to nutrients is very essential
during growth. If plant occurred to limitation for nutrient absorption, it faced to disorders so that implementation of
soil with required fertilizers could not compensate its limitation. While absorbing biostimulants, plant could prepare
its essential needs without any yield losses (Gawronaka 2008).
Finally, results of this experiment suggest application of biostimulants like Humiforte, Fosnutren and
Kadostim for plant higher yield and achieving environmentally friendly sustainable agriculture.

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