Forage Quantity and Quality of Berseem Clover (Trifolium ‎alexandrinum L.) as Affected by Uses of Pseudomonas putida ‎Strains and Phophorus Fertilizer in the Second Crop

Effects of phosphate fertilizer and pseudomonas putida strains on the quantity and quality of forage of berseem clover as a second crop was studied in a factorial field experiment using randomized complete block design with three replications at Fooman, Guilan province, Iran. Treatments consisted of phosphate fertilizer with three levels (0, 75 and 150 kg/ha as triple super phosphate) and Pseudomonas putida strains with four levels (M21, M5, M168 and control). The results showed that use of phosphate fertilizers increased the soil pH during growing season while bacterial inoculation adjusted soil pH. The bacterial inoculation increased amount of crude protein, digestible protein, acidic and alkaline phosphatase activity compared to non-inoculated treatment, but it decreased crude fiber of the forage. Clover forage yield, protein yield and phosphorus content of foliage also were influenced by the interaction of bacterial strains and phosphate fertilizer. The highest forage and protein yield were obtained by using strain M5힝 kg P ha-1. Significant increases in forage and protein yield were found to be 16.49% and 8.01%, respectively, as compared with non-inoculated treatment. Based on the result of this experiment, application of 150 kg P ha-1 and Pseudomonas putida strain M5 inoculation can be used to obtain highest forage yield and quality of berseem clover as second crop in the experimental site.