Effect of urea and ammonium sulphate on some physiological aspects and chemical compositions of Pennisetum glaucum plants

A research experiment was carried out to study the effect of soil application of urea and/or ammonium sulphate on some physiological aspects and biochemical composition of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum) plants during the vegetative growth period. The parameters analyzed were dry weight, water content, polysaccharides, total carbohydrates, phosphorus content, nitrogenous content and proline in roots and shoots as well as photosynthetic pigments content in the leaves. The results for roots indicated significant increases in dry weight, water content and direct reducing value due to the combination of urea with ammonium sulphate at 0.5% during the first and second periods and urea with ammonium sulphate at 0.3% in the third one. Total carbohydrates significantly increased due to application of ammonium sulphate at 0.5% in the second and third samples. Organic and total phosphorus significantly increased due to application of urea at 0.3% in the first and second samples. Applying urea at 0.5% achieved the highest value in total soluble N, protein-N, total-N and proline in first sample. Meanwhile, the combination of urea and ammonium sulphate at 0.3% resulted in high increases in total- N and protein - N in the second and third samples. Likewise, application of urea with ammonium sulphate at 0.5% caused the highest significant value in total soluble - N in the second sample compared with control and other treatments in roots.