The influence of regular deficit irrigation applications on water use, yield, and quality components of two corn (Zea mays L.) genotypes.

摘要

The objective of the present study was to determine the mechanisms of tolerance of two corn (Zea mays L.) genotypes (Safak and Ant-I90) to water stress under five different irrigation treatments designated as full irrigation (I₁₀₀) with no water stress and slight (I₇₅), mild (I₅₀), severe water stress (I₂₅) and no irrigation (I₀) treatments. The results showed that different irrigation levels applied has statistically significant effect on yield components such as anthesis-silking interval, plant height, ear diameter, ear length, kernel number and 1000 grain weight, except for ear number. In both of the genotypes, water deficit stress significantly (P<=0.01) increased glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents while it decreased protein content. The maximum grain yield was obtained from Safak genotype under full irrigation, slight, mild, severe and full water deficit stress as much as 9.35 t ha-1, 8.34 t ha-1, 7.89 t ha-1, 5.56 t ha-1 and 3.63 t ha-1, respectively. The highest water use was observed in I₁₀₀ treatment as 738.1 mm for Safak genotype, while the lowest was found in I₀ treatment as 260.0 mm for Ant-I90 genotype. The highest water use efficiency was found in I₅₀ as 15.7 kg ha-1 mm-1 for Safak genotype, and the lowest one was found in I₀ as 5.5 kg ha-1 mm-1 for Ant-I90. It was concluded that Safak was more tolerant genotype to water stress than that of Ant-I90.