Effect of Different Fertilizing Treatments on Nutrient Uptake in Annual Medic (Medicago scutellata cv. Robinson) under Irrigated and Dry Farming Systems

To study the effect of different fertilizing systems on macro and micro nutrients uptake by annual medic (Medicago scutellata cv. Robinson) an experiment was conducted under dry farming and irrigated conditions at two research stations (Sararood Dryland Agricultural Research Institute and Soil Fertility Research Station in Mahidasht) during 2009 growing season. The experimental treatments consisted of the two experimental sites with different climatic conditions and cultural systems (dry farming and irrigated systems), while the fertilizer treatments consisted of the control (no fertilizer), chemical fertilizer, biological fertilizer, and different combinations of chemical and biological fertilizing systems. The results showed that, in both irrigated and dry farming conditions, all fertilizing treatments increased macro- and micro-nutrients uptake over the control. The highest concentration of nutrient elements such as Nitrogen (3.82%), Potassium, (4.16 mg kg-1), Iron (495 mg kg-1) and Cu (60.8 mg kg-1) were observed in integrated fertilizing treatments i.e. Nitrogen-fixing bacteria+Triple superphosphate. Application of integrated fertilizing treatments not only decreased the chemical fertilizer application (consequently, reducing the environmental pollutions), but it also enhanced forage quality in terms of higher macro- and micro-nutrients concentrations. According to the results of this study, it could be concluded that integrated fertilizing systems may be more efficient in dry farming agro-ecosystems than in irrigated systems.