Effect of Moisture Stress Management Practices and Irrigation Regimes on Yield and Physiology of Maize (Zea mays L.)

摘要

The field experiment was conducted during rabi season of 2017 and 2018 to study the influence of moisture stress management practices on plant physiology and yield of maize. Study revealed that, irrigation scheduling at IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 produced significantly higher relative leaf water content (80.1%), transpiration rate (4.31 mmol nrV) stomatal conductance (0.304 mmol nrV) and was followed by IW/CPE ratio of 0.8. while, lower values were recorded in IW/CPE of 0.4. In terms of yield and net photosynthetic rate IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 out performed with 7,188 kg haH and 44.4 umol irrV respectively which was comparable with IW/CPE ratio of 0.8 (7,142 kg ha~(-1), umol nrV). Among the foliar application of treatments PPFM @ 1% recorded significantly higher relative leaf water content (73.7%), transpiration rate (3.97 mmol m~V) stomatol conductance (0.287 mmol nrV1) and net photosynthetic rate (40.2 umol nrV) followed by silicic acid @ 0.2%. Foliar application of PPFM @ 1% and silicic acid 0.2% producedsignificantly higher and comparable yield (6,847 and 6,600 kg ha~(-1)). From the study, irrigation at IW/CPE ratio of 0.8 realized a net return of Rs 63,960 with B : C ratio of 3.11. Similarly, PPEM @ 1% attained a net return of Rs 60, 923 with B : C ratio of 3.02. On comparison with water productivity, IW/CPE ratio of 0.6 noted Rs 257 ha~(-1) mm~(-1) of water applied to the crop. Likewise Rs 248 ha~(-1) mm~(-1) was realized with the application of PPFM @ 1%. Irrigation at IW/CPE ratio of 0.8 along withfoliar application of PPFM @ 1 % enhanced the production and profit in comparison with other treatments.