Thesis Discussion
The College of Science for Women at the University of Baghdad examined a master’s thesis entitled “Impact of Plant Residue Mulching and Cyanobacterial Biofertilizer on Weed Management and Wheat Yield in Iraq”, presented by the postgraduate student Sama Basil Ataa, as a requirement for the degree of Master of Science in Biology – Botany. The study was supervised by Dr. Arwa Abdul Kareem Tawfiq and Dr. Tamara Adnan Ali.
The thesis aims to evaluate the effects of sorghum and corn mulch with and without cyanobacterial biofertilizer on wheat seed germination, weed control in wheat field, and the growth and productivity of wheat crop.
The thesis includes significant findings such as using sorghum or corn residues at a rate of 6 t/h as mulch in combination with algal biofertilizer and half the recommended doses of chemical fertilizers and herbicide, increased wheat seed germination and achieved results comparable to those obtained with full doses of chemical fertilizers and herbicides in terms of weed control efficiency and crop productivity and reducing dependence on chemical inputs, thereby contributing to environmental protection and promoting sustainable agriculture practices.
The thesis recommended using Sorghum or Corn residues as mulch, along with half the recommended dose of chemical herbicides and the application of algal biofertilizer combined with half the chemical fertilizer dose, to enhance wheat productivity and control associated weeds
Final Grade: Excellent.
