Effect of Silicon Fertilization on Growth and Yield of Hybrid Maize Under Irrigated and Rainfed Conditions

摘要

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of silicon fertilization on growth and yield of hybrid maize under irrigated and rainfed conditions during Rabi, 2017-18 at Eastern Block farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore. Thetreatments comprised of two factors. Factor one consistsed of three irrigation strategies viz., M1 - adequate irrigation (at regular intervals), M2 - limited irrigation (at critical stages) and M3 - no irrigation (rainfed) and factor two consistsed of silicon sources viz., S1-seed priming with 1.5 mM of sodium meta silicate for 12 hrs, S2 - foliar application of silicic acid @ 0.2 % at knee high and tassel initiation stages, S3 - seed priming with 1.5 mM sodium meta silicate and foliar application of silicic acid @ 0.2 % twice at knee high and tassel initiation stages, S4 - water spray and S5 - control. The results of the study indicated that adequate irrigation strategy registered significantly higher growth and yield parameters, grain and stover yield of maize. Higher grain yield 6679 kg/ha was recorded under adequate irrigation (MJ condition. Silicon application as seed priming with 1.5 mM of sodium meta silicate and foliar application of silicic acid @ 0.2 % at knee high and tassel initiation stages was recorded higher grain yield of 6130 kg/ha. It was comparable with foliar application of silicic acid @ 0.2 % at knee high and tassel initiation stages alone in registering higher growth and yield of maize.