The effects of mutant isolate of the antagonistic fungus Trichoderma harzianum and Nitrogen fertilizer on the growth and yield of Corn Zea mays L. in the marshland of Thiqar.

This study has been performed to determine the effect of mutant isolate of the antagonistic fungus Trichoderma harzianum on the growth and yield of Corn Zea mays L. in the soil of Abu Zarak marshland in Thiqar province. The results of the current study elucidated the significant effect of the recombination between mutant isolate and Nitrogen fertilizer (80 kg/donum) in the promoting of the growth and increasing of the yield of Corn, the treatment led to increase the following parameter: leaf area index; number of ears per plant and number of rows per ear which reached to 3.84; 1.45 and 16.84, respectively, in contrast with control treatment 2.99; 1.19 and 13.70, respectively. The significant increase of the yield of corn was seen after the treatment with the T. harzianum and Nitrogen fertilizer in terms of the weight of 1000 grain {gm} and the total yield {ton/ hector} which were 129.73 gm and 5.92 ton/hector, respectively, in contrast with 118.74 gm and 2.75 ton/hector, in control treatment, respectively. In addition, the analysis of the nutrient content of the corn shoot system proved that the N; P and K were higher in the treatment of the bioagent alone or with Nitrogen fertilizer than what were seen in other treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]