The Effect of Anabaena variabilis on some growth parameters of two local bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars

Abstract

The potential of Anabaena variabilis as a biofertilizer for two local bread wheat
 (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars – Doma 6 (D6) and Bohoth 8 (B8)– was tested. Three treatments were applied to those cultivars: Treatment 1 (T1: control: irrigated with BG11 with NaNO₃), Treatment 2 (T2: control- N: irrigated with BG11 without NaNO₃), and Treatment T3 (inoculated with A. variabilis and irrigated with BG11 without NaNO₃). The aim was to evaluate the impact of A. variabilis on morphological parameters and on fresh and dry weights. Measurements were taken from 14, 21, 28 and 35-day-old seedlings (three replicates each).

The results showed the positive effect of A. variabilis on growth enhancement in both cultivars. That was clearly demonstrated by increases in shoot and root lengths and in the leaf area index, as well as increases in the fresh and dry weights of the shoots and roots, with significantly greater effects observed in the D6 cultivar compared to the B8 cultivar in all the mentioned criteria in the T3 treatment. Regarding the T2 treatment, all the studied parameters decreased in both cultivars.