Effect of mycorrhizal fungi, Bacillus bacteria and chemical fertilization on the growth indicators and yield of corn (Zea mays L.).

• Maytham abbas jawad Salwan mohammed AL-Maliki

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A field experiment was conducted on corn in a field in the northern Karbala province to study the role of mycorrhizal fungi and Bacillus bacteria isolated from Iraqi soil on phosphatase enzyme activity, phosphorus availability, and the yield growth of corn (Zea mays L.). This was achieved by studying three factors: the first factor, Bacillus bacteria, at three levels: no addition (0), 10 ml of Bacillus subtitles, and 10 ml of Bacillus megaterium 2 per plant (designated B0, B1, and B2); the second factor, phosphorus fertilizer application (full nutrient recommendation and half nutrient recommendation, 50% and 100% of the nutrient recommendation, designated P1 and P2); and the third factor, mycorrhizal fungi, at three levels: no addition, Glomus mosseae, and Gigaspora (0, 5, and 10 g, designated M0, M1, and M2, respectively). This resulted in 18 treatments, each replicated three times, for a total of 54 experimental units, following a walk-through complete block design (RCBD). The results indicated that:The addition of mycorrhizae to treatment M2 resulted in the highest growth parameters for corn, specifically plant height, chlorophyll index, thousand-grain weight, vegetative growth dry weight, and total yield, with values ​​of 168.05 cm, 55.23 spade, 357.89 g, 65.52 g plant⁻¹, and 4.52 ton.ha⁻¹, respectively.The second type of Bacillus bacteria in treatment B1 achieved the highest significant increase in all growth indicators, including plant height, chlorophyll index, thousand-grain weight, vegetative growth dry weight, and total yield, with values ​​of 171.44 cm, 59.63 cm, 362.0 g, 73.35 g, and 4.05 ton.ha⁻¹, respectively. The P2 level (full phosphorus fertilizer recommendation) achieved the highest growth indicators and yield for corn, with values ​​very close to those of treatment P1 (half phosphorus fertilizer recommendation). Bi- interaction of P2 (full fertilizer recommendation) with both M2 and B2 resulted in the highest growth indicators for corn. Bi- interaction of treatment M2B2 also resulted in the highest growth indicators and the highest yield for corn.The triple interaction of treatment M2B2P2 resulted in the highest growth indicators and yield for corn, with values ​​for most traits comparable to those of the triple interaction of treatment M1B2P2.

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