Enhancement of growth and nutrient uptake of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) by applying mineral nutrients and biofertilizers.

For investigating the effect of chemical fertilizer as well as biofertilizers on seed yield and quality i.e. oil, protein and nutrients concentration of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.), a split-plot fertilizers application experimental design in 4 replications was carried out during the 2005-2006 growing season, at the Gharakheil Agricultural Research Station in the Mazandaran province of Iran. Rapeseed was grown as a second crop in rotation after rice. Biofertilizers treatments were two different levels: control (no seed inoculation) and seeds inoculation with a combination of Azotobacter chroococcum and Azosprillum brasilense and Azosprillum lipoferum, as main plot and chemical fertilizers comprised N, P, K and their combinations, NPKS and NPK Zn as sub plots. The maximum value of seed yield obtained at (BF+NPK Zn) 3421.2 kg h(-1) corresponding to 244.5 pods per plant and maximum concentration of Zn in leaves as well as seeds. The highest weight of 1000 seeds (4.45 g) happened to obtain at (BF+NPK S) which coinciding with the maximum K levels in leaves. The highest number of branches was obtained at (BF+NPK Zn) with 4.43 branches per plant i.e., 46.2% increase over the control. The maximum value of rapeseed oil content 47.73% obtained at T16 (BF+NK) but maximum protein concentration of seed obtained at T12 (BF+N). Overall the results indicated that inoculation resulted in increase in seeds yield (21.17%), number of pods per plant (16.05%), number of branches (11.78%), weight of 1000 grain (2.92%), oil content of seeds (1.73%) and protein (3.91%) but decrease (-0.24%) in number of seeds per pods comparing to non-Biofertilizers treatments. Irrespective to the treatments, results showed that application of Biofertilizers coincided with 3.86, 0.82, 2.25, 0.75 and 0.91% increase in concentrations of N, P, K, S and Zn in the seeds over the non-Biofertilizers treatments.