Saleh M. Ismail 1,2. King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. or Tel:

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1 Afrin Journl of Miroiology Reserh Vol. 7(5), pp , 29 Jnury, 2013 Aville online t DOI: /AJMR ISSN Ademi Journls Full Length Reserh Pper Influene of effetive miroorgnisms nd green mnure on soil properties nd produtivity of perl millet nd lflf grown on sndy lom in Sudi Ari Sleh M. Ismil 1,2 1 Arid Lnd Agriulture Deprtment, Fulty of Meteorology, Environment nd Arid Lnd Agriulture, King Adulziz University, Jeddh, Sudi Ari. 2 Soil nd Wter Deprtment, Fulty of Agriulture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. E-mil: smirhim@ku.edu.s or smii2001@gmil.om. Tel: Aepted 20 Deemer, 2012 A field experiment ws onduted to study the effet of effetive miroorgnisms nd green mnure on soil properties nd yield of perl millet (Pennisetum gluum (L.) R. Br.) nd lflf (Medigo stiv L.) grown on sndy lom soil under rid onditions t Agriulture Experimentl Sttion of King Adulziz University (KAU), Hd Alshm, Sudi Ari. Four tretments were investigted. In ontrol (T1), the soil ws only treted with the reommended dose of minerl fertilizers required for the ultivted rops. The seond tretment (T2) w s diluted solution (1:1000) of effetive miroorgnisms (EM1) spryed on the soil surfe. The third tretment (T3) ws green mnure dded s soil mulh ove the ground while the fourth tretment (T4) ws mixture of EM1 nd green mnure together. Results indited tht, EM1 nd green mnure improved forge yield nd soil propertie s. The est improvement in yield ws found in T4 nd T3 of lflf nd perl millet fields, respetively. These tretments re sulted lso in the gret redution in soil ulk density nd sturted hydruli ondutivity, high wter retention nd soil orgni mtter. Totl nitrogen, phosphorus, pot ssium, iron nd mgnesium were lso inre sed under the se tretments. Little enhnement in physil nd hemil properties of soil ws pronouned in T2 tretment sine the improvements were not signifint ompred with the ontrol. The re sults sugge sted tht using green mnure lone or mixed with EM1 is prtil method to enhne soil properties nd produtivity of orse texture soils under dry lnd onditions. Key words: Effetive miroorgnisms, perl millet, green mnure, lflf. INTRODUCTION Soil properties ply n importnt role in rop prodution nd wter use effiieny espeilly in light texture soils of rid regions. Enhning physil nd fertility properties of sndy soil will ontriute to fight ginst hunger y inresing rop prodution y dding new relimed soil to ultivted res. One of the est methods to enhne soil properties is using iofertilizers or green mnures. One of the world s most ommonly used iofertilizers is effetive miroorgnisms (EM), (Hig, 1991; Mikn nd Muller, 2008). EM is ommerilly ville with the nme of EM1. It is suspension ontins seletion of groups of miroorgnisms, in prtiulr, lti id teri, yest, photosyntheti teri. All of these re mutully omptile with one nother nd n oexist in liquid ulture. EM1 my improve the iologil sttus of soils, inrese soil orgni mtter, improve germintion nd root development, inrese photosynthesis, nd inrese plnt growth nd yield (El-Shfei et l., 2008). Crop prodution ws highly ffeted y the pplition of green mnure. Whet yields were inresed from 500 to 1400 kg h -1 with inresing N from 81 to162 kg h -1 y using green mnure (Ldh, 1996). Frm yrd mnure (FYM) with rte of 10 t h -1 pplied in omintion with hemil mendments enhned rie nd whet yields in

2 376 Afr. J. Miroiol. Res. sodi soil (Hussin et l., 2001). Use of legume green mnures hd signifint positive effet on whet yield, (Huxhm et l., 2005). Nryn nd Li (2006) studied the effet of green mnure of severl soil depths on the growth hrteristis nd yield of sunnhemp (Crotolri june). They found tht, the growth in terms of plnt height, root length, numer of nodules/plnt nd iomss yield inresed under inresing soil depth. Effet of green mnure ws distint on produtivity of whet in ll investigted depths. The highest grin ws reorded under green mnuring of sunnhemp in deep soil depth. Physil properties like ulk density, porosity, void rtio, wter permeility nd hydruli ondutivity signifintly improved when FYM (10 t h -1 ) pplied in omintion with hemil mendments. Other orgni mterils like rie strw, whet strw, rie husk nd hopped slt grss lso improved the physil properties of sline sodi soil, (Hussin et l., 2001). Inresing orgni mtter in soil s result of green mnure improved soil struture, inresed ggregtes stility, enhne infiltrtion rte, led to higher wter-holding pities nd inresed wter use effiieny (Tnk et l., 2005; Nryn nd Li, 2006). Using legumes green mnure nd rop rottion inresed the level of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, nd potssium in soil espeilly Nitrogen. Moreover, rop nutrient use effiieny ws improved y green mnure pplition. Legumes re superior green mnure rops s they fix tmospheri nitrogen nd dd it to the soil nitrogen pool. Tht nitrogen is relesed grdully with long-term deomposition of orgni mtter, thus deresing the risk of lehing nutrients nd the need for nitrogen fertilizer pplition in susequent sesons (Leinonen, 2000; Myer et l., 2003; N Dyegmiye nd Trn, 2012). Green mnure nd niml wste inrese sorption of non-solution phosphorus in soil nd inreses phosphorus sorption from phosphorus fertilizer. Sometimes green mnure lone do not provide enough essentil nutrients for mximizing rop yield, so one of the est strtegies is using green mnure with lend of hemil fertilizers. This mixture redues the pplition of minerl fertilizer nd dereses environment pollution (Fgeri, 2007). Brley mnure inresed ville potssium in the soil. Inresing soil orgni ron y green mnure pplition inreses miroil numers nd tivity, whih help to releses mny essentil nutrients for plnts, (Crlsson nd Huss-Dnell, 2003; Bremer et l., 2008). The effets of EM nd green mnure on the yield of susequent sesons were investigted y mny reserhers ut their effets on growth yield diretly fter ddition hs not een studied. Therefore, the min ojetives of this study were to investigte single nd multiple effets of EM nd different types of green mnure on: 1. Forge prodution of perl millets nd lflf in susequent uts diretly fter pplition in the sme growing seson; 2. The hnge in physil nd fertility properties fter one yer of EM nd green mnure pplition. MATERIALS AND M ETHODS Lotion nd experimentl design The experiment w s rried-out t Agriulture Experimentl Sttion of King Adulz iz University (KA U) loted t Hd Alshm villge (21 79' N, 39 70' E nd A ltitude of 226 m), 110 km north est of Jeddh, KSA. The Climte of the re is rid w ith high tempertures during summer seson. The soil texture is sndy lom. Tw o forge rops, lflf nd perl millet w ere ultivted in this experiment. w s sow n mnully in one hlf of the experimentl site using seed rte of 60 kg h -1. The rop w s sow n on Deemer 2009 nd ontinues until Deemer, Thirteen uts w ere otined during the period of the experiment. Perl millet ws grow n tw ie in the seond hlf of the re. One ultivted in Deemer, 2009 to April, 2010 nd the other w s through My to Otoer Perl millet w s sow n mnully in row s w ith 20 m prt in rte of 4 seeds for eh hill w ith distne of 20 m etw een eh onseutive hill. Tw o nd three uts w ere hrvested from the first nd seond grow ing period respetively. The experimentl field w s sujeted to sprinkler irrigtion system during the w hole grow ing sesons. Tretments Four tretments w ere investigted in the urrent study. The soil w s only treted w ith the reommended dose of minerl fertilizers required for the used rops. In the seond tretment (T2), suspension of stok ultures of effetive miroorgnis ms (EM1) w s diluted 1:1000 w ith irrigtion w ter nd pplied four times t r te of 50 m 3 h -1 spryed on the soil surfe diretly fter seond, third, fourth nd fifth uts of lflf. How ever, EM1 w s dded three times w ith the sme previous rte for perl millet diretly fter first nd seond uts of the first grow ing period nd fter the first ut of the seond grow ing period. The third tretment (T3) w s green mnure from lflf for lflf field nd from perl millet for perl millet field. In the proper ge, the plnts w ere ut, then left on surfe s mulh w ith rte of 7.5 ton/h for eh time. The distriution w s extly s explin in the seond tretment. The fourth tretment (T4) inludes EM1 nd green mnure together dded w ith the sme rte nd method explined in T2 nd T3. The totl pplied green mnure w s 30 nd 22.5 ton/h for lflf nd perl millet respetively. The des ign of the experiment w s omplete rndomized plot (6 m 2 size) w ith 4 replitions. The investigted soil properties w ere mesured efore ultivtion nd fter one yer from the strting of the experiment for oth fields. At the end of the experiment, otined dt w ere sttistilly nlyzed us ing the sttistil pkge softw re SAS (SAS Institute In., 2000, Cry, NC., USA). Comprisons etw een mens w ere mde y the lest signifint differenes (LSD) t P = 5%. Mesured prmeters Totl fresh nd dry yield Fresh nd dry yield w s mesured y utting one squre meter from the enter of the plot of eh replite for eh rop during eh ut nd the fresh yield w s determined, then y ield per hetre ws lulted for eh ut. Su-smples w ere drow n into pper gs nd kept in fored ir oven t 80 C for 72 h nd then the dry yield per hetre w s lulted. Totl fresh nd dry yields for the

3 Ismil 377 Tle 1. Effets of green mnure nd EM1 tretments on totl fresh nd dry yields of lflf nd perl millet (t/h) during the w hole grow ing seson. Tretments Perl millet Fresh Dry Fresh Dry T1 (Control) d T2 (EM1) T3 (Green mnure) T4 (Green mnure + EM1) L.S.D Mens w ith different supersripts differ signifintly, P < 0.05). whole grow ing seson w ere lulted y summtion of ll uts for eh rop. Physil properties Soil ore w ith length nd dimeter of 5 m w s used to ollet undistriuted soil smples from the upper 30 m of soil surfe. The smples w ere olleted from eh replite for oth rops efore nd fter one yer of ultivtion for mesuring physil prmeters of soils s follow s: Soil orgni mtter (SOM): Determintion of SOM involved the redution of potssium dihromte (K 2Cr 2O 7) y orgni ron ompounds nd susequent determintion of the unredued dihromte y oxidtion-redution titrtion w ith ferrous mmonium sulfte (Pnsu nd Gutheyrou, 2006). Bulk density: Bulk dens ity w s mesured y the ore method in the undistured soil smple s explined in Blke nd Hrtge (1986). Sturted hydruli ondutivity: The sturted hydruli ondutivity w s mesured w ith onstnt hed method nd w s lulted suing Dry's formul (Klute, 1986). Q/AT = -K (L+h/L) (3) Where: K = sturted hydruli ondutivity ( m h -1 ) Q = volume of w ter (m 3 ) pssed through the soil in time T (h) L = length of soil olumn ( m) h = totl hed ( m) A = ross setion re of the ylinder in m. Soil w ter retention: Soil w ter urves w ere determined y the pressure plte pprtus (Klute, 1986). Undistured soil smples were olleted in steel rings 5 m in dimeter, then sturted for 24 h. The sturted smples w ere sujeted to mtri potentils of - 0.0, -0.06, -0.1, , -0.66, -1, -2, nd -3 rs. After equilirium the retined moisture w s lulted for eh smple in eh tretment. Totl nitrogen Determining of totl nitrogen involves the digestion nd distilltion steps ording to the Kjeldhl method (Jkson, 1973) using Kjelte uto 1030 nlyzer. Phosphorus Aville P, w s determined s desried in Olsen nd Sommers (1982), the phosphorus w s mesured y mmonium molydte olorimetri methods. Potssium Aville K, w s detemined s desried in Crson (1980), nd ws mesured using flme emission spetrophotometry. Miro-nutrients Aville Zn, Mn, Cu nd Fe w ere extrted using DTPA extrtion method s desried y Miller et l. (2000) nd mesured y ICP- AES method. RESULTS Totl fresh nd dry yields Results of totl fresh nd dry yields of perl millet nd lflf re presented in Tle 1. Results indited tht EM nd green mnure tretments signifintly inresed totl fresh nd dry yield for oth rops. The highest fresh nd dry yields of perl millets rop otined from T3 is followed y T4, T2 nd T1, respetively. However, the differenes in fresh yield etween T2 nd T1 were not signifint. The highest fresh nd dry yields of lflf rop were otined from T4, followed y T3, T2 nd T1, ut the differenes in fresh nd dry yield etween T3 nd T2 were not signifint. Fertility properties Soil fertility prmeters w ere determintion of totl Nitrogen, ville phosphorus; potssium nd miro-element inlude Fe, Mn, Cu nd Zn. Physil properties Soil orgni mtter (SOM) Result of soil orgni mtter efore nd fter one yer of

4 Bulk density (g/m 3 ) Bulk density (g/m 3 ) Orgni Mtter (%) St hydruli ond. m 3 /min Orgni Mtter (%) St hydruli ond. m 3 /min 378 Afr. J. Miroiol. Res Int OM % Perl Millet C OM Intil SHC Perl Millet Finl SHC d T1 T2 T3 T4 Tretments Figure 1. Effet of green mnure nd EM1 tretments on soil Orgni mtter (mens w ith different supersripts differ signifintly, P < 0.05) d T1 T2 T3 T4 Tretments Figure 3. Effet of green mnure nd EM1 tretments on Sturted hydruli ondutivity (mens w ith different supersripts differ signifintly, P < 0.05) C Int. BD Finl BD Perl Millet T1 T2 T3 T4 Tretments Figure 2. Effet of green mnure nd EM1 tretments on soil ulk dens ity g/ m 3 (mens w ith different supersripts differ signifintly, P < 0.05). ultivtion is presented in Figure 1. The results indited tht, green mnure nd EM inresed SOM fter one yer of ultivtion ompred with efore ultivtion in oth fields. The highest SOM for perl millet field otined from T3 followed y T4 nd T2 however, the differenes etween T4 nd T2 were not signifint. The lest SOM ws reorded in T1. Signifint differenes were found mong tretments in lflf field. The highest SOM otined from T4 then grdully deresed in T3, T2 nd T1, respetively. Soil ulk density (BD) Results of soil ulk density re presented in Figure 2. Soil BD ws deresed y using green mnure nd EM pplition. The redution ws signifint only in T3 nd T4 ut ws not signifint in T2 nd T1 for oth fields. The highest redution in BD ws otined from T3 for perl millet field followed y T4, T2 nd T1, respetively. For lflf field, the lest redution otined from T1 followed y grdul inrese up to T4 where the highest redution ws otined (Figure 2). Sturted hydruli ondutivity nd moisture retention Results of sturted hydruli ondutivity re shown in Figure 3. Results reveled tht, sturted hydruli ondutivity ws signifintly deresed s result of green mnure nd EM pplition espeilly in lflf field. The lest sturted hydruli ondutivity otined from T3 of perl millet field followed yt4. The differenes etween T2 nd T1 were not signifint. For lflf field, the lest sturted hydruli ondutivity otined from T4 nd grdully inresed up to T1. Results of soil moisture retention for investigted tretments re presented in Figure 4. Results of soil

5 Mtri potentil (m h) Mtri potentil (m h) Ismil T1 T2 T3 T Perl millets Wter ontent (vol %) Wter ontent (vol %) Figure 4. Effet of green mnure nd EM1 tretments on soil w ter tension for perl millet nd lflf fields efore nd fter one yer from ultivtion. Tle 2. Effet of green mnure nd EM1 tretments on mro - nutrients of soil fter one yer of ultivtion. Cultivted rop Perl Millet Tretment Totl nitrogen (ppm) Aville phosphorus (ppm) Aville potssium (ppm) Before ultivtion 613 e 30.1 d e T1 (Control) 750 d d T2 (EM1) T3 (Green mnure) T4 (Green mnure + EM1) L.S.D Before ultivtion d T1 (Control) T2 (EM1) T3 (Green mnure) T4 (Green mnure + EM1) L.S.D Mens w ith different supersripts differ signifintly, P < wter retention efore ultivtion (2009, indited tht, no signifint differenes were reorded mong tretments for oth fields. However, signifint differenes were found in soil wter retention mong tretments fter one yer of ultivtion (2010). Applition of green mnure nd EM resulted in onsiderle inrese in soil wter retention. In perl millet field, the highest retined wter otined from T3 followed y T4. The mount of retined wter ws lmost similr in T1 nd T2. Results of soil wter retention for lflf field were lmost similr s in perl millet field however, the highest retined wter otined from T4 followed y T3. Fertility properties Mro-nutrients The results of mro-nutrients inlude N-P-K re presented in Tle 2. The results indited tht, ll tretments inlude ontrol signifintly inresed totl Nitrogen, ville phosphorus nd potssium ompred with those efore ultivtion for oth fields. The highest totl nitrogen, ville phosphorus nd potssium in perl millet field otined from T3 followed y T4, T2 nd T1, respetively. In lflf field, the highest N, ville P

6 380 Afr. J. Miroiol. Res. Tle 3. Effet of green mnure nd EM1 tretments on ville miro- nutrients of soil fter one yer of ultivtion. Cultivted rop Tretment Cu (ppm) Zn (ppm) Fe (ppm) Mn (ppm) Before ultivtion d 13.3 d T1 (Control) Perl Millet T2 (EM1) T3 (Green mnure) T4 (Green mnure + EM1) L.S.D Before ultivtion e 13.3 T1 (Control) d 17.7 T2 (EM1) T3 (Green mnure) T4 (Green mnure + EM1) L.S.D Mens w ith different supersripts differ signifintly, P < nd K otined from T4 followed y T3 however the differenes etween these tretments were not signifint. Also, T2 signifintly inresed the vilility of phosphorous, potssium nd totl nitrogen ompred to T1. Miro-nutrients The results of ville miro-nutrients inlude: Cu, Zn, Fe nd Mn re presented in Tle 3. Results reveled tht ll investigted tretments signifintly inresed the vilility of miro-nutrients ompred with those efore ultivtion in oth field. Results lso showed tht EM nd green mnure tretments inresed the vilility of Cu nd Zn in soil however the differenes mong them were not signifint in oth fields. The vilility of Fe nd Mn ws signifintly inresed y the pplition of EM nd green mnure. The highest ville onentrtions of Fe nd Mn under perl millet field were found in T3 nd T4 however, the differenes etween them were not signifint, then followed y T2nd T1, respetively. For lflf field, there ws grdul signifint inrese in the vilility of Fe. The highest ville onentrtion of Fe otined from T4 followed y T3, T2 nd T1, respetively. Similr ehvior ws found in Mn however the differenes etween T4 nd T3 were not signifint. DISCUSSION Inresing yield of the tretments treted with EM1 might e due to two resons. Firstly, the inrese in numer of nodultion s result of the inensement in rhizoil popultion due to EM1 pplition espeilly in lflf field (Jvid et l., 2000). Seondly, the inrese in nutrient vilility in soil s result of orgni mtter deompositions (Konoply nd Hig, 2001). In green mnure or green mnure mixed with EM1 tretments, the inrese in rop yield for oth rops ould e due to the inrese in orgni mtter ontents. Inrese orgni mtter enhned soil physil properties suh s, ulk density, infiltrtion rte, wter holding pity. Soil hemil properties hs lso min role in inresing rop yield due to the undnt vilility of nutrients relesed from orgni mtter deomposition or due to the inrese in nutrients soluility euse of the presene of orgni ids produed form orgni mtter deomposition. Similr results were reported y (Mndl et l., 2003; Sing et l., 2007; N Dyegmiye nd Trn, 2001). Applition of green mnure nd EM1 inresed SOM. The inrese in SOM in the tretments of T3 nd T4 in oth fields ould e due to the ft tht, the quntity of dded green mnure in these tretments is higher thn tht of T1 nd T2. In perl millet field T3 signifintly inresed SOM ompred to other tretments. The results might e due to low qulity of dded green mnure. Applition of low qulity green mnure (high in lignin or poly phenolis nd low in N) like perl millet my inrese soil orgni ron nd onsequentilly SOM (Snhez, 1989). The derese in SOM of T4 ompred with T3 ould e ttriuted to the ft tht dding EM1 to the green mnure inresed the deomposition tivity. Miroorgnisms in EM1 deomposed green mnure in order to get their requirement of N, whih ws low in per millet mnure. Deomposition of green mnure led to derese the umultion of orgni mtter in soil. In lflf field the highest SOM found in T4. The results ould e due to the ft tht, lflf green mnure is rih in N ontent s well s the growing lflf fix Nitrogen from ir vi Rhizoium teri. As result, the

7 Ismil 381 miroorgnisms presented in EM1 my otin their N requirement from the penlty of N presented in soil. Tht led to inrese SOM umultion euse of the slow deomposition of lflf green mnure. Similr results were reported y (N Dyegmiye nd Trn, 2012). The signifint derese in soil ulk density due to the pplition of EM1 nd green mnure is proly due to the greter mount of orgni mtter deposition. Inresing the deposition of OM influene soil struturl properties y enmeshing soil primrily prtiles nd miro-ggregtes into mro-ggregtes. Constituting of mro-ggregtes deresed tive pore spe in soil. The diret effet of deresing tive pores is redution in ulk density (Singh et l., 2007; Sultni et l., 2007). Inresing orgni mtter in soils enourged grnultion, then redued uk density. The redution in ulk density is met y redution in lrge pore spe whih led to grdul redution in sturted hydruli ondutivity. The redution in sturted hydruli ondutivity in orse textured soil treted with orgni mtter ould e lso ttriuted to the redution in effetive men pore rdius s result of the soil expnsion (Mustf et l., 1988; Al-Dry et l., 1992; Ismil, 1996; Brndsm et l., 1999). Applition of green mnure nd EM1 in oth fields inresed the retined wter in treted soils. In ft, the otined results of SOM, BD nd sturted hydruli ondutivity my explin the results of soil wter retention. Inresing the soil moisture retention pity might e due to the enhnement in physil prmeters of soil inluding the inresing of SOM, deesing of ulk density nd sturted hydruli ondutivity, (Yönter nd Yğmur, 2011; Egodwtt et l., 2012). Totl N nd the vilility of P, K, Fe nd Mn in perl millet nd lflf fields were inresed y green mnure pplition. The inrese of these nutrients might e due to the deomposition of pplied green mnure. The signifint differenes mong tretments ould e due to the type nd quntity of green mnure s well s the dditive of EM1. The highest N, P nd k under perl millet field (T3 nd T4) in per millet field oud e due e due the type of pplied green mnure. The green mnure from perl millet hrterized y high C: N rtio, high lignin nd high polyphenol ontents. As result, it deomposes nd relese nutrients slowly. Suh type of green mnure hs low diret nutrient effet nd high indiret mulhing effet on rops (Tin et l., 1992; Ahkzi nd Bngulzi, 2006). Presene of EM1 with green mnure (T4) inresed the rte of deomposition nd relese lrge mount of nutrients. In spite of the greter relese of nutrients their onentrtions were less thn tht in T3. Tht might e due to the prtiiption of plnts nd miroorgnisms in onsuming the relesed nutrients. Totl nitrogen in lflf field ws higher thn tht in perl millet field. The inrese ould e due to the nitrogen fixtion y Rhizoium teri. green mnure is hrterized y low C:N rtio, lignin nd polyphenol ontents so it deomposes rpidly, nd inrese nutrient vilility nd onentrtion (Sngkkr nd Weerseker, 2001). The inrese in ville P in soil for oth fields ould e due to the elerted minerliztion of P y the orgni ids resulted from the deomposition of orgni mnure (Egodwtt et l., 2012). Inorportion of green mnure with soil showed tendeny of immoilizing ville P (Somdo et l., 2007). Green mnure inrese the onentrtion of K, Mn, Fe, either y inresing their soluility from soil insolule minerl frtion or relesing these nutrients from the deomposition of orgni mtter (Kplnd nd Estes, 1985; Mosvi et l., 2009). Krmi et l. (2012) found tht, soil Mn onentrtion ws inresed when pplying different orgni mtter soures. Esily deomposle residue my dd sustntil mounts of Fe, Mn, Cu, nd P nutrients to the growing plnts y inresing their vilility (Wlters et l., 1992). Conlusion Results of this study reveled tht, EM1 nd green mnure tretments improved forge yield nd soils properties. The est enhnement found in the tretments of green mnure with nd without EM1 in oth fields. These tretments resulted in the highest yield, the gretest redution in ulk density nd sturted hydruli ondutivity, nd the highest wter retention nd soil orgni mtter. Moreover, totl nitrogen, ville P, K, Fe nd Mn were lso inresed under these tretments. Little improvement in physil nd hemil propertied of soil ws pronouned in EM1 tretment however the improvements were not signifint ompred with the ontrol. In onlusion, green mnure or green mnure mixed with EM1 is reommended with lmost equl enefits to use in orse textured soil to improve soil properties nd onsequently yields espeilly under dry lnd onditions. REFERENCES Ahkzi AK, Bngulzi K MI (2006). Effet of vrious levels of nitrogen fertilizer on the yield nd yield ttriutes of pe (Pisum stivum L.) ultivrs. Pk. J. Bot. 38: Al-Dry AM, El-Shfei VZ, Shly AA, Mursi M (1992). Influene of gel forming onditioner on wter retention, infiltrtion pity nd wter distriution in uniform nd strtified sndy soils. Arid Si. Res 6: Blke GR, Hrtge KH (1986). 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