Response of Potato (Salanum Tuberosum L.) and Green Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris L.) Crops to Mycorrhizal, NPK and Sheep Manure Fertilization in Soil

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in the Al-Qubba region, north of Mosul, to evaluate the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation, NPK compound fertilization, and sheep manure on the growth parameters and yield components of potato and green bean. The study was carried out in a calcareous Silty Clay soil characterized by low organic matter content and a deficiency in plant-available nitrogen and phosphorus. The experiment followed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates, comprising 18 experimental units resulting from the interaction of the studied factors. The results indicated that all treatments significantly enhanced the growth of both crops, leading to marked increases in growth indicators (plant height, shoot dry weight, and number of branches). Furthermore, there was a significant improvement in yield components: tuber weight, number of tubers, and yield per plant for the potato crop; and number of pods per plant, number of seeds per pod, and total yield for the green bean crop. Additionally, nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations in potato tubers and green bean pods were increased. The integrated treatment (Mycorrhiza + NPK) significantly outperformed all other treatments across all vegetative growth parameters, yield components, and nutrient concentrations (N and P) for both crops.