MAIZE GROWTH, YIELD FORMATION AND WATER-NITROGEN USAGE IN RESPONSE TO VARIED IRRIGATION AND NITROGEN SUPPLY UNDER SEMI-ARID CLIMATE

Abstract

Enhancement of resource use efficiencies and crop productivity in sustainable agriculture are important especially in low-input production systems. This experiment was planned to evaluate the performance of maize under different water and nitrogen levels. Three irrigation treatments i.e., I1= three leaf stage (V1), nine leaf stage (V2), tasseling (T) and milking stage (M); I2 = V1, V2, T, M and dough stage (R1), I3= V1, V2, T, M , R1 and blister stage (R2) were applied with 70 mm application depth with different nitrogen application rates i.e., 0 , 150, 200 and 250 kg N ha-1 . Results revealed that maximum growth i.e., plant height, leaf area index (LAI), crop growth rate (CGR), cob length and diameter as well as yield and yield components i.e., grains rows/cob, grains/row, grains/cob, grain weight/cob, 100-grain weight, grain yield, biological yield and harvest index, water and nitrogen use efficiencies as well as transpiration and photosynthetic activities were recorded at I3 with 250 kg N ha-1 . However, increased irrigation and nitrogen application rates delayed days to tasseling, silking and maturity. Conclusively, six irrigations (I3) with 250 kg N ha-1 can be adopted as the best input levels to get maximum maize yield under semi-arid regions. In future both these inputs may be used as water and nitrogen based agricultural best management practices (BMPs) in regions with similar type of environmental conditions. 

Keywords

• Growth,Maize,Resource use efficiency,Photosynthesis,Respiration,Yield

References

1. Abbas, F. and A. Fares. 2009. Best management practices to minimize nonpoint-source pollution in agriculture. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Manoa, Hawaii, USA.
2. http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/SCM-26.pdf. Amanullah, R.A., S.K. Khattak and R.A. Khattak. 2009. Effects of plant density and N on phenology and yield of maize. J Plant Nutr. 32(3):245-259.
3. Amin, M.E.H. 2011. Effect of different nitrogen sources on growth, yield and quality of fodder maize (Zea mays L.). J. Saudi Soc. Agric. Sci.10:17–23.
4. Anjum, S.A., L.C. Wang, M. Farooq, M. Hussain, L. L. Xue and C.M. Zou. 2011. Brassinolide application improves the drought tolerance in maize through modulation of enzymatic antioxidants and leaf gas exchange. J. Agron. Crop Sci. 197:177-185.
5. Aynehband, A., M. Valipoor and E. Fateh. 2011. Stem reserve accumulation and mobilization in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) as affected by sowing date and N-P-K levels under Mediterranean conditions. Turk J Agri For. 35:319-331.
6. Di Paolo, E. and M. Rinaldi. 2008. Yield response of corn to irrigation and nitrogen fertilization in a Mediterranean environment. Field Crops Res. 105:202–210.
7. Dobermann, A. 2007. Nutrient use efficiency-measurement and management. In: Proceedings of the IFA International Workshop on Fertilizer Best Management Practices, Brussels, Belgium.
8. Farooq, M., A. Wahid, N. Kobayashi, D. Fujita and S.M.A. Basra. 2009. Plant drought stress: effects, mechanisms and management. Agron. Sustain. Dev. 29:185-212.

9. Farre`, I. and J.M. Faci. 2006. Comparative response of maize (Zea mays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) to deficit irrigation in a Mediterranean environment. Agric. Water Manage. 83:135–143.
10. Gheysari, M, H.W. Loescher, S. H. Sadeghi, S. M. Mirlatifi, M. J.Z. and G. Hoogenboom. 2015. Water-yield relations and water use efficiency of maize under nitrogen fertigation for semiarid environments: experiment and synthesis. Adv. Agron. 130:175–229.
11. Gheysari, M., S.M. Mirlatifi, M. Bannayan, M. Homaee and G. Hoogenboom. 2009. Interaction of water and nitrogen on maize grown for silage. Agric. Water Manage. 96:809-821.
12. Glamoclija, D., S. Jankovic, S. Rakic, R. Maletic, J. Ikanovic and Z. Lakic. 2011. Effects of nitrogen and harvesting time on chemical composition of biomass of Sudan grass, fodder sorghum, and their hybrid. Turk. J. Agri. For. 35:127-138.
13. Halvorson, A.D., A.R. Mosier, C.A. Reule and W.C. Bausch. 2006. Nitrogen and tillage effects on irrigated continuous corn yields. Agron. J. 98:63–71.
14. Hammad, H.M., A. Ahmad, A. Wajid and J. Akhter. 2011. Maize response to time and rate of nitrogen application. Pak. J. Bot. 43:1935-1942.
15. Hammad, H.M., A. Ahmad, F. Abbas and W. Farhad. 2012. Optimizing water and nitrogen use for maize production under semiarid conditions. Turk. J. Agri. For. 36:519-532.
16. Homer, D.C. and Pratt, P.F. 1961. Methods of Analysis for Soils, Plants and Waters. Div. of Agriculture Science, University of California, Davis.
17. Hunt, R. 1978. Plant Growth Analysis. Edward Arnold, London, UK. Igbadun, H.E., Tarimo, A.K.P.R., Salim, B.A. and Mahoo, H.F. 2007. Evaluation of selected crop water production functions for an irrigated maize crop. Agric. Water Manage. 94: 1-10.
18. Islam, M.R., S.M.E. Rahman, M.M. Rahman, D.H. Oh and C.S. Ra. 2010. The effects of biogas slurry on the production and quality of maize fodder. Turk. J. Agri. For. 34:91-99.
19. Kuscu, H., A. Karasu, M. Oz, A.O. Demir and I. Turgut. 2013. Effect of irrigation amounts applied with drip irrigation on maize evapotranspiration, yield, water use efficiency, and net return in a sub–humid climate. Turk. J Field Crops 18:13-19.
20. Khaliq, T., A. Ahmad, A. Hussain and M.A. Ali. 2009. Maize hybrids response to nitrogen rates at multiple locations in semiarid environment. Pak. J. Bot. 41:207-224.
21. Khan M.B., F. Yousaf, M. Hussain, M.W. Haq, D. J. Lee and M. Farooq. 2012. Influence of planting methods on root development, crop productivity and water use efficiency in maize hybrids. Chilean J. Agric. Res. 72:556-563.
22. Li, H., L. Li, T. Wegenast, C.F. Longin, X. Xu, A.E. Melchinger and S. Chen. 2010. Effect of N supply on stalk quality in maize hybrids. Field Crop Res. 118:208-214.
23. Mahbod, M., S. Zand-Parsa and A. R. Sepaskhah. 2015. Modification of maize simulation model for predicting growth and yield of winter wheat under different applied water and nitrogen. Agric. Water Manage. 150:18–34.
24. Mansouri-Far, C., S.A.M.M. Sanavy and S.F. Saberali. 2010. Maize yield response to deficit irrigation during lowsensitive growth stages and nitrogen rate under semi-arid climatic conditions. Agric Water Manage. 97:12–22.
25. Mohamed, M.Y. 2010. Development and stability of some Sudanese sunflower hybrids under irrigated conditions. Helia 33:135-144.
26. Moser, S.B., B. Feil, S. Jampatong and P. Stamp. 2006. Effects of pre-anthesis drought, nitrogen fertilizer rate, and variety on grain yield, yield components, and harvest index of tropical maize. Agric. Water Manage. 81:41-58.
27. Nsanzabaganwa, E., T.K. Das, D.S. Rana and S.N. Kumar. 2014. Nitrogen and phosphorus effects on winter maize in an irrigated agroecosystem in western Indo-Gangetic plains of India. Maydica 59:152-160.
28. Payero, J.O., S.R. Melvin, S. Irmak and D. Tarkalson. 2006. Yield response of corn to deficit irrigation in a semiarid climate. Agric. Water Manage. 84:101-112.
29. Qadri, R.W.K., I. Khan, M.M. Jahangir, U. Ashraf, G. Samin, A. Anwer, M. Adnan and M. Bashir. 2015. Phosphorous and foliar applied nitrogen improved productivity and quality of potato. Am. J. Plant Sci. 6:144-149.
30. Sepaskhah, A.R., S. Fahandezh-Saadi and S. Zand-Parsa. 2011. Logistic model application for prediction of maize yield under water and nitrogen management. Agric. Water Manage. 99: 51-57.
31. Shahrokhnia, M.H. and A.R. Sepaskhah. 2012. Evaluation of wheat and maize evapotranspiration determination by direct use of Penman–Monteith in a semi-arid region. Arch Agron Soil Sci 58:1283–1302.
32. Watson, D.J. 1952. The physiological basis of variation in yield. Adv Agron 4:101-145.
33. Zamir, S.I., M. Asif, Ihtisham‐ul‐haq, U. Ashraf, S. Hussain and M.K. Khan. 2014. Maize phenology, yield and its quality is affected by organic mulches and various irrigation regimes. Int. J. Mod. Agri. 3:56-59.
34. Zand-Parsa, S., A.R. Sepaskhah and A. Ronaghi. 2006. Development and evaluation of integrated water and nitrogen model for maize. Agric Water Manage. 81:227– 256.
35. Zhang, X., G. Huang and Q. Zhao. 2014. Differences in maize physiological characteristics, nitrogen accumulation, and yield under different cropping patterns and nitrogen levels. Chilean J. Agric. Res. 74:326-332