Paper Details

Effect of drought stress and phosphate solvent bacteria on yield and its components in maize (Zea mays L. var SC.704)

Omid Alizadeh, Mahdi Zare, Mohammad Sadegh Zerafat, Arash Azarpanah

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.12692/ijb/4.2.244-253

Int. J. Biosci. 4(2), 244-253. January, 2014. (PDF)

Abstract:

Field trials were carried out at the agricultural research college of Islamic Azad University of Firoozabad, Fars, Iran, during 2011-2012 growing season. These treatments were arranged in split plot design based on randomized complete block design in three replications. In recent study, water stress at different growth stages of maize was confirmed at three levels. The main factors were included S1, S2 and S3, defining as control (normal irrigation), drought stress at silk emergence and at the end of pollination, respectively. Three fertilizer treatments including B0: No bacterium (control), B1: Bacillus+Pseudomonas, B2: Bacillus+Pseudomonas with 50 percent of triple super phosphate were applied as secondary factors. Results revealed that drought stress levels had significant effects on ear diameter, kernels number per ear, 1000-kernel weight and grain yield. The lowest grain yield was obtained from maize under S2 condition. Compared to the maize under normal irrigation condition, this represents a yield decrease of 41 %. It was evident that seed inoculums with phosphate solubilising bacterium with 50 percent of triple super phosphate treatment significantly affected the reduction of plant losses under drought stress condition and increased the total yield. Result illustrated that stress×bacterium interaction effects were significant for ear length, ear diameter and 1000-kernel weight.