The method of fertilization and fertilizing the soil and culture substrates has an important role in the quantitative and qualitative production of agricultural and horticultural products. Four types of fertilizer formulas with different ratios of N, P and K and constant amounts of micronutrients were prepared as complete liquid fertilizers in the Soil Science Laboratory of Sheikh Baha'i Laboratory Complex, Islamic Azad University, Science and Research Branch, Tehran. In a randomized complete design, the effect of thirteen different fertilizer treatments along with a control including the use of different fertilizers at different times of vegetative and reproductive growth and each treatment in four replications on the growth of Tagetes was evaluated. Vegetative growth indices including final plant height, number of flowers and lateral branches, fresh and dry weight of roots, flowers and shoots were evaluated. Overall results showed that different fertilization methods and different fertilizer formulas had a positive effect on plant growth compared to the control. Changes in plant growth were significant compared to the control in fertilization methods and formulas. The best effect on plant growth was seen in treatment number 6 and this treatment is recommended for the growth of this variety of Tagetes. In this treatment, in the fourth week of planting seedlings from the first formula including the base ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, 15-15-15 and in the fifth and sixth weeks of the second formula including the ratio of base nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, 15-20-30, was used.

Purpose: The need for increasing production of Moringa oleiferain Nigeria can be achieved through adequate fertilization.This study investigated the effects of sources and rates of NPK (15: 15: 15) and compost on soil properties and productivity of Moringa at National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria.Methods: NPK was applied at 30, 60, and 90 kg N/ ha, cow dung (CD), poultry manure (PM) and organomineral (OM) were applied at 10, 20 and 30 tons/ha. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replicates. Organic fertilizers were incorporated into the soil 2 weeks before sowing; NPK was split applied at 2 and 5 weeks after sowing. Seeds were sown at 75 cm9 75 cm spacing. Data were taken on plant height (cm), stem girth (cm), number of leaves, leaf biomass, stems weight and post-planting soil properties.Results: Growth values for NPK and compost treatments were higher than the control. PM applied at 30 tons ha-1 resulted in highest growth values: plant height (65.91 cm), stem girth (1.51 cm) and number of leaves (14.20). PM applied at 30 tons ha-1 gave higher stem weight (2249.9 g) and leaf biomass (3610.5 g). Post-planting soil analysis indicated that nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, sodium, manganese, iron and zinc contents were higher in plots with organic and inorganic fertilizers except for potassium and magnesium.Conclusion: PM proved more superior to CD manure and others because it produced better growth attributes such as shoot height, stem girth and number of leaves and leaf biomass than its counterparts produced.

Purpose This research aimed to evaluate the yield and quality of granular NPK fertilizers prepared by physical granulation with eggshell, snail shell, and cow bone as fillers and to compare them to conventional filler. Methods Urea, DAP, KCl, and fillers were milled separately and mixed to the desired formula. About 150 g of mixed powders were granulated on a disc granulator in 9 minutes, at a rotation speed of 35 rpm and a disc slope of 45° . Water at a desired additional moisture was sprayed on the tumbled powders to facilitate the granulation. The obtained granules were then dried and screened into three fractions: undersize ( 4 mm). Results Snail shells and eggshells as fillers were found to give on-size NPK granules having yield and compressive strength which were comparable to that with limestone as a conventional filler. For NPK 15-15-15, using snail shells and eggshells as fillers, the yields of on-size granules achieved 46% and 56%, respectively, and the compressive strengths of on-size granules reached 2. 4 and 2. 1 MPa, respectively. Cow bones as fillers resulted in low compressive strength. The distribution of nutrients in the NPK granules was found to be close to the targeted formula. Conclusion Snail shells and eggshells as fillers have good yield and quality of on-size NPK granules and are very potential alternatives to limestone.

Objective: Drought stress is one of the most important factors limiting the development and production of maize worldwide. In this regard, using nano-fertilizers to control the release of nutrients can be a practical step towards achieving sustainable agriculture and environmental adaptation, and it is vital to induce drought stress tolerance in maize.Methods: We aimed to evaluate the effect of nano-chelating-based nitrogen and NPK fertilizers on both agronomic and physiological characteristics of maize under water-deficit stress conditions. A split-plot experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design to test the effect of the different fertilizers. The main plots included two levels of irrigation: optimum irrigation and water-deficit stress (irrigation after 140 mm evaporation from a Class A pan). The subplots involved various combinations of nano-chelated fertilizers at five doses, alongside a control using conventional chemical fertilizers.Results: Our results indicated that water-deficit stress adversely impacted various growth and productivity characteristics in maize. However, substituting conventional chemical fertilizers with nano-chelated fertilizers, even at a minimal level (10%), notably enhanced most studied traits compared to the control under water-deficit stress conditions. Specifically, treating plants with 222 kg/ha (Treatment 3 of the nano-chelated fertilizers (nano-chelated N20P20K20 96 kg/ha + nano-chelated nitrogen 126 L/ha) of nano-chelated fertilizers instead of 840 kg/ha of chemical fertilizers (300 kg/ha of triple superphosphate, 150 kg/ha of potassium sulfate, and 390 kg/ha of urea) resulted in a 33% increase in grain yield, overall improvements in yield components, and elevated nitrogen use efficiency under drought stress. Furthermore, nano-chelated fertilizers mitigated the impact of water-deficit stress through the chlorophyll a and b content while reducing leaf temperature.Conclusion: our results indicated that nano-chelating-based macronutrient fertilizers could present a promising avenue within sustainable production systems, particularly under water-deficit stress conditions. Therefore, considering production costs and environmental problems, the application of nano-chelated N20P20K20 96 kg/ha + nano-chelated nitrogen 126 L/ha for the sustainable production of grain yield in the Fajr cultivar of maize will be sufficient, and higher levels of nano-fertilizers will be luxurious.