An Investigation on Physiological and Photosynthetic Parameters of Forage Maize at Regulated Deficit Irrigation and Partial Root Zone Draying Methods

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

• Nader Naderi ¹
• Ramin Fazl Oula ¹
• Mirkhaleg Ziatabar Ahmadi ²
• Ali Shahnazari ¹
• Saeed Khavari Khorasani ³

¹ Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University

² Sari Agricultural and Natural Resources University

³ Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Khorasan Razavi

https://doi.org/10.22067/jsw.v30i2.48803

Abstract

Introduction: Water shortage is the most important factor affecting crop production in the world. The deficit irrigation is a way to reduce water consumption in farming. The Partial Root- zone Drying (PRD) irrigation is a new improvement in deficit irrigation in which the half of the root zone is irrigated alternatively in scheduled irrigation events. In the fixed partial root zone drying (FPRD) the irrigation is fixed to one side of the root zone in the growing season. Maize is a drought sensitive crop. In maize, secondary traits related to drought resistance are considered in producing tolerate cultivars.
Materials and Methods: An experiment was conducted in order to investigate the effects of regulated deficit irrigation, variable partial root zone drying (PRD) and fixed partial root zone drying (FPRD) on the yield, physiological and photosynthetic parameters of forage maize (KSC 704) during the growing seasons of 2014 in Mashhad region. A factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with four replications was carried out. The treatments included the full irrigation (FI) and the deficit irrigations (regulated deficit irrigation (DI) and the replacements of 80 % (DI80) and 60 % (DI60) of total water requirement, fixed PRD (FPRD) at 100% (FPRD100), 80% (FPRD80) and 60%(FPRD60) of water requirement, and variable PRD at 100% (PRD100), 80% (PRD80) and 60% (PRD60) of water requirement). Drip irrigation tapes were placed between plant rows. In the full irrigation and regulated deficit irrigation treatments, the plants were irrigated from two sides for every irrigation. In the PRD, one of two neighboring tapes was alternatively used for irrigation. In FPRD, a drip tape was used for two plant rows and irrigation was fixed to one side of the root. The irrigation interval was 3 days for all treatments. Dry and fresh forage yield, leaf area index (LAI), stomatal conductance, leaf relative water content (RWC) and chlorophyll content were measured.
Results and Discussions: All the measured traits were affected by the deficit irrigation. The highest fresh forage yield (72099 kg/ha) was produced by the full irrigation treatment. The statistical comparison showed that there was no significant difference between regulated deficit irrigation and PRD method for the fresh forage yield. But the FPRD treatment reduced the fresh forage yield. There was no significant difference between the fresh forage yield of FI and PRD80 treatments. The dry forage yield was affected by the different irrigation methods, irrigation levels and the interaction effects of the treatments (p

Keywords

• Chlorophyll content
• Leaf Area Index
• Relative water content
• Stomatal conductivity

20.1001.1.20084757.1395.30.2.19.1

References

1- Ahmadi S.H., Andersen M.N., Plauborg F., Poulsen R.T., Jensen C.R., Sepaskhah A.R., and Hansen S. 2010. Effects of irrigation strategies and soils on field grown potatoes: Gas exchange and xylem [ABA]. Agriculture Water Management, 97: 1486-1494.

2- Alipour M., Ranjbar G.h., KhavariKhorasani S., and Babaeian Jelodar N. 2014. Evaluation of drought tolerance in maize (Zea mays L.). Journal of Crop Breeding, 6 (14): 41-53. (in Persian with English abstract)

3- Curran P.J., Dungan J.L., and Gholz H.L. 1990. Exploring the relationship between reflectance red edge and chlorophyll content in slash pine. Tree Physiology, l7:33-48.

4- Dastbandan-Nejad S., Saki T., and Lack S. 2010. Study effect drought stress and different levels potassium fertilizer on K+ accumulation in corn. Nature and Science, 8 (5): 23-27.

5- Davies W.J., and Hartung W. 2004. Has extrapolation from biochemistry to crop functioning worked to sustain plant production under water scarcity? Proceeding of the 4th International Crop Science Congress, Brisbane, Australia, Available at http://www.cropscience.org.au/icsc2004.

6- Efeoğlu B., Ekmekçi Y., and Ciçek N. 2009. Physiological responses of three maize cultivars to drought stress and recovery. Agronomy Journal, 75: 34-42.

7- FAOSTAT. 2010. Statistical database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO, Rome, Italy, Available at http:// faostat.fao.org (accessed 14 July 2011).

8- Fazeli Rostampour M., Seghatoleslami M.J., and Moosavi G.R. 2010. Studying the effect of Superabsorbent and drought stress on the relative water content and leaf Chlorophyll index and relationship between them with seed yield in corn (Zea mays L.). Journal of Islamic Azad University of Ahvaz, 2(1): 19-31. (in Persian with English abstract)

9- Filella I., Serrano I., Serra J., and Peñuelas J. 1995. Evaluating wheat nitrogen status with canopy reflectance indices and discriminate analysis. Crop Science, 35:1400-1405.

10- Flexas L., and Medrano H. 2002. Drought-inhibition of photosynthesis in C3 plant: Stomatal and non stomatal limitation revisited. Annual Botany, 89(4): 183-189.

11- Gekas F., Pankou C., Mylonas I., Ninou E., Sinapidou E., Lithourgidis A., Papathanasiou F., Petrevska J.K., Papadopoulou F., Zouliamis P., Tsaprounis G., Tokatlidis I., and Dordas C. 2013. The use of chlorophyll meter readings for the selection of maize inbred lines under drought stress. International Journal of Biological, Bimolecular, Agricultural, Food and Biotechnological Engineering, 7 (8): 472-476.

12- Ghadiri H., and Majidian M. 2003. Effect of nitrogen and irrigation levels in milk and dough stages of yield, yield components and water use efficiency in corn (Zea mays L.). Journal of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, 3:103-112. (in Persian)

13- GhazianTafrishi Sh., Ayenehband A., Tavakoli H., KhavariKhorasani S., and Joleini M. 2013. Impacts of Drought Stress and Planting Methods on Sweet Corn Yield and Water Use Efficiency. Journal of plant physiology and breeding, 3 (2): 23-31.

14- Graan T., and Boyer J.S. 1990. Very high CO2 partially restores photosynthesis in sunflower at low water potentials. Planta, 181, 378-384.

15- Hajibabaei M., and Azizi F. 2011. Evaluation of drought tolerance indices in some new hybrids of corn. Electronic Journal of Crop Production, Number III: 139-155.

16- Havaux M., Emez M., and Lannoye R. 1998. Selection de varietes de bledur (Triticum durum Desf.) et de ble tender (Triticum aestivumL.) adapted a la secberesse par I mesure de I extinction de la fluorescence de la chlorophylle in viva. Agronomie, 8(3): 193-199.

17- Hopkins W.G., and Huner N.P. 2004. Introduction to plant physiology. John Wiley& Sons. Inc. New York.

18- Jalilian A., Ghobadi R., and Farnia A. 2011. Response of some photosynthesis system traits and leaf relative water content of corn [SC704] on different amounts of nitrogen fertilizer in different irrigation regimes. National Conference on new ideas in Agriculture, IAU of Khorasgan. Iran. 17-18 Feb. (in Persian with English abstract)

19- Jalilian A., Ghobadi R., Shirkhani A., and Farnia A. 2014. Effects of Nitrogen and Drought Stress on Yield Components, Yield and Seed Quality of Corn (S.C. 704). Agronomy Journal (Pajouhesh & Sazandegi). 102: 151-160. (in Persian with English abstract)

20- Majidian M., Ghalavand A., Karimian N., and Kamgarhaghighi A.A. 2008. Effects of nitrogen different amounts, manure and irrigation water on yield and yield components of corn. Electronic Journal of CropProduction, 1(2): 7-85. (in Persian with English abstract)

21- Martınez J.P., Silva H., Ledent J.F., and Pinto M. 2007. Effect of drought stress on the osmotic adjustment, cell wall elasticity and cell volume of six cultivars of common beans (Phaseolus vulgarism L.). European Journal of Agronomy, 26: 30- 38.

22- Miyashita K., Tanakamaru S., Maitaniand T., and Kimura K. 2005. Recovery responses of photosynthesis, transpiration, and stomatal conductance in kidney bean following drought stress. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 53(2): 205-214.

23- Naderi N., and Mohammadi A. 2007. The effect of deficit irrigation by alternate furrow irrigation on growth stages of the potato. Journal of Agricultural Engineering Research, 8 (4): 19-31. (in Persian with English abstract)

24- Oniell P.M, Shanahan J.F., and Schepers J.S. 2006. Use of chlorophyll fluorescence assessments to different corn hybrid response to variable water conditions. Crop Science, 46: 541-548.

25- Parry M.A.J., Andraloje P.J., Khan S., Lea P.J., and Keys A.J. 2002. Rubisco activity: Effects of drought stress. Annals of Botany. 89: 833- 839.

26- Pagter M., Bragato C., and Brix H. 2005. Tolerance and physiological responses of (Phragmitesaus tralis) to water deficit. Aquatic Botany Journal, 81(4): 21-28.

27- Rasheed M., Hussain A., and Mahnood T. 2003. Growth analysis of hybrid maize as influenced by planting techniques and nutrient management. Journal of Agriculture Biology, 5(2): 32-41.

28- Schlemmer M.R., Francis D.D., Shanahan J.F., and Schepers J.S. 2005. Remotely measuring chlorophyll content in corn leaves with differing nitrogen levels and relative water content. Agronomy Journal, 97:9-17.

29- Sepaskhah A.R., and Ahmadi S. H. 2010. A review on partial root-zone drying irrigation. International Journal of Plant Production, 4 (4): 241-258.

30- Shahriari A., Puteh A.B., Abdul Rahim A.B., and Saleh G.B. 2014. Physiological responses of sweet corn under water deficit and nitrogen rates at different growth stages. Crop eco-physiology. 6 (19): 1-17. (in Persian with English summary)

31- Ur-Rahman M.S., and Ahmad I. 2004. Effects of water stress on growth and photosynthetic pigments of corn (Zea mays L.) cultivars. International Journal of Agriculture & Biology, 6(4): 652-655.

32- Zhenchang W., Fulai L., Shaozhong K., and Christian R. 2012. Alternate partial root-zone drying irrigation improves nitrogen in maize (Zea mays L.) leaves. Environmental and Experimental Botany, 75: 36-40.