Role of agricultural sulfur, Thiobacillus bacteria and nano-zinc in the availability of some microelements in the soil and some qualitative traits of maize

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in one of the fields of Ibn Al-Bitar Vocational Preparatory school in Al-Husseiniyah district in the Holy governorate of Kerbala for the spring season of 2022 according to a randomized complete block design with three replications (R.C.B.D). The experiment included three factors. The first included three levels of agricultural sulfur (0, 1500 and 3000 kg ha^-1), symbolized by (S0, S1 and S2, respectively). The second factor included two levels of thiobacillus bacteria: the control treatment (no addition) and the treatment with bacteria, symbolized by (T0 and T1). The third factor included three concentrations of nano-zinc (0, 50 and 100 mg L^-1), symbolized by (Zn0, Zn1 and Zn2, respectively). The results of the experiment showed that the addition of sulfur had a significant effect, as the level of 3000 kg ha^-1 was superior in the concentration of iron and zinc in the soil, protein, carbohydrates and sulfur in the grains, with averages of (4.32 and 2.88 mg kg^-1, 10.79 and 76.38 and 0.272% respectively). Also, the treatment with Thiobacillus bacteria showed superiority in the concentration of zinc in the soil and the concentration of protein and sulfur in the grains with averages of (2.55 mg kg^-1, 10.25 and 0.248%). As for nano zinc, the third concentration (100 mg L^-1) was superior in the concentration of protein, carbohydrates and sulfur in the grains with averages of (10.15, 74.00 and 0.239%). It was also observed that some interactions were significant in most of the traits studied.