Effect of Azotobacter and Mycorrhiza symbiosis on Protein percentage and some agronomic characteristics of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.)

In order to study the effect of Azotobacter and Mycorrhiza symbiosis on protein percentage and some agronomic characteristics of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.), the experimental was conducted as factorial based of randomized complete block design in three replications during growing season of 20112012 in research farm of college of Arak Islamic Azad University.Treatments including of inoculated with Azotobacter in three levels (Non-inoculated, inoculation with Azotobacter-5 and inoculation with Azotobacter-12) and Glomus fungi treatment in four levels (Non-inoculated, inoculation with Glomus intraradices, inoculation with Glomus mosseae and inoculation with mixed G.intraradices and G.mosseae).The traits such as branching height, biological yield of sub-sub boll, harvest index of sub-boll, grain yield of sub-boll, saturation water deficit and grain protein percentage were measured. Based on the results of the variance analysis table, all characters except grain yield of sub-boll were significant as affected by main effect of Azotobacter and Glomus fungi of safflower. Also interaction effect of Azotobacter and Glomus fungi were significant on traits branching height, biological yield of sub-sub boll, grain yield of sub boll, saturation water deficit and grain protein percentage of safflower. Based on the mean comparison table, of the highest biological yield of sub-sub boll (30.50 gr.plant) related to treatment A2M3(inoculation with Azotobacter-12 and inoculation with mixed G.intraradices and G.mosseae) that showed significant differences, while the same treatment showed higher rates in grain protein content of safflower (19.44%). Also, highest grain yield of sub boll equal to (44.33 gr.plant) was obtained from treatment A1M3 (inoculation with Azotobacter-5 and inoculation with mixed G.intraradices and G.mosseae) and lowest equal to (33.28 gr.plant) was obtained from treatment A0M0 (non-inoculated with Azotobacter and Glomus fungi).