PJB-2018-732
Mineral potassium applied under reduced irrigation regimes improves maize growth and production of alkaline soil in semi-arid environment
Salman Ali
Abstract
Abstract Drought stress adversely affects crop growth and yield in many ways and the increasing deficit water scenario due to changing weather and climatic conditions puts high agricultural productivity and its sustainability at greater risk. Water availability at critical crop growth stages reduces water losses and improves water use efficiency and yield of crop. Potassium (K) is major plant nutrient required in large quantity by crops and has a significant role in increasing crop growth and yield by reducing the adverse effects of drought stress. Although large quantity of potassium can be found in soil but is mostly in unavailable form. Field experiments were therefore established at Agronomy Research Farm the University of Agriculture Peshawar-KP to evaluate the response of maize toward different K levels under varied irrigation frequencies, during Kharif, 2015-2016. Randomized complete block design with split plot arrangement was used with a subplot size of 3m x 2m having 4 rows, each 0.75m apart. Treatments were consisted of six irrigation frequencies; I0 (no irrigation), I1 (irrigation at V1 stage), I2 (irrigation at V7 stage), I3 (irrigation at VT stage), I4 (irrigation at R2 stage) and I5 (irrigation at R4 stage) allocated to main plot and five levels of potassium (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 kg ha-1) assigned to subplots. Results exhibited significant effects of irrigation frequencies and K levels on crop growth, yield and yield components. Increasing irrigation numbers substantially increased yield of maize crop and taller plants with higher number of grains ear-1, 1000-grain weight, biological and grain yield and harvest index were observed in plots irrigated five times. Likewise, 75 kg K ha-1 application resulted in higher biological (plant height and biological yield) and grain yield (grains ear-1, thousand grains weight, grain yield and harvest index) components of maize. Increase in K levels beyond 75kg ha-1 showed slight decrease in yield. It is concluded that water stress at each critical crop growth stage can drastically reduce crop yield therefore, five times irrigation each at (mentioned) crop growth stage along with 75 kg ha-1 K is recommended for profitable and economical maize production.
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