Evaluation Effect of Chemical and Biological Fertilizer on Nitrogen Efficiency Indexes of Safflower Genotypes under Rain fed Condition

BACKGROUND: Management of nutrients, especially nitrogen, in order to economic production, maintains sustainable agriculture, provide food security and prevent environmental pollution is considered to have an important priority. Also select and propose responsible genotype to environmental conditions is a great factor. OBJECTIVES: The current research was conducted to evaluate effect of Azotobacter and nitrogen fertilizer on Nitrogen consumption efficiency indices of some safflower genotypes under dry land conditions. METHODS: This research was conducted via combined analysis factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications along 2015-16 and 2016-17 year. The treatments included different level of Nitrogen (N0: nonuse of fertilizer or biofertilizer as control, N1: Seed inoculation with Azotobacter + nonuse of urea chemical fertilizer, N2: Seed inoculation with Azotobacter + 50% nitrogen from urea source, N3: 100% nitrogen from urea source according soil test) and 6 genotypes (G1: 312-S6-697, G2: PI-401478, G3: PI-253895, G4: PI-306974, G5: Padideh and G6: Sina). RESULT: Result of analysis of variance revealed effect of nitrogen factor and genotypes on all studied traits was significant. In this study combined application of 50% nitrogen chemical fertilizer with Azotobacter in terms of seed yield was not significantly different from the treatment of 100% nitrogen fertilizer application and the nitrogen use efficiency in this treatment was significantly higher than the application of 100% chemical fertilizer. CONCLUSION: Sina genotype and combined use of 50% nitrogen fertilizer with Azotobacter to produce maximum yield and reduce the use of nitrogen fertilizer in order to achieve sustainable agriculture and environmental protection in the dry land conditions and can be recommended to producers in studied region.