Effect of Pseudomonas and chemical fertilizer of potassium sulfate on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of corn (Zea mays L.)

In order to investigate the effect of growth promoting bacteria and potassium sulfate fertilizer on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of corn an experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in summer 2015 in Shavour Agricultural Research Station, affiliated to the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Khuzestan. The treatments included: T1: Without inoculation and use of potassium fertilizer at recommended rate (as control), T2: using autoclaved inoculum and using chemical fertilizer of potassium as recommended, T3: inoculation with biological fertilizer of Pseudomonas and application of potassium fertilizer to Recommended rate, T4: Inoculation with biological fertilizer of Pseudomonas without the use of potassium fertilizer and T5: Inoculation with biological fertilizer of Pseudomonas and Potassium fertilizer use were 50% less than recommended rate.  The results showed that the effect of treatments on the number of rows per ear, number of seeds per row, 1000 grain weight, grain yield, biological yield, starch percentage and potassium percentage of seed and in regard to phosphorus percentage was  not significant. The maximum grain yield and biological yield was belonged to T3 treatment. T4 treatment showed the minimum grain yield and biological yield. There was no significant difference between two treatments of T3 and T5 in terms of starch percentage. The highest amount of potassium was obtained from T3 treatment and showed the lowest amount of T4 treatment. In general, there was no significant difference between T3 and T5 treatments in terms of quantitative and qualitative characteristics of yield and the T5 treatment was recommended as a suitable treatment due to reduced potassium fertilizer in terms of sustainable agriculture and reduction of environmental pollution.