Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Plant Production Department, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and ‎Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab, Alexandria 21934, Egypt
2
‎Soil Salinity and Alkalinity Laboratory, Soil, Water, and Environment Research Institute, ‎ Agricultural Research center, Giza, Egypt
3
field Crops Res. Dept., National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth st., Dokki, Giza, ‎ Egypt P.O.12622‎
4
‎field Crops Res. Dept., National Research Centre, 33 El Bohouth st., Dokki, Giza, ‎ Egypt P.O.12622‎
Abstract
Two experiments in cemented plots were carried out during 2012 and 2013 summer seasons at Soil Salinity and Alkalinity Laboratory, Alexandria, Egypt, to study the effect of three levels of irrigation water salinity (0.5, 2.75, 5.5 dS/m) and foliar application of salicylic acid (0, 100, 200 ppm) on growth, grain yield, and yield components of Maize. Split plot with four replicates was the experimental design. The results revealed that at mid-season, irrigation with saline water significantly decreased plant height (cm), plant fresh weight (g), and plant dry weight (g). However, number of leaves/plant, leaves area/plant (m2), and leaf area index were not significantly affected. Also, at mid-season foliar spraying with salicylic acid significantly increased plant fresh weight (g), and plant dry weight (g). However, plant height (cm), number of leaves/plant, leaves area/plant (m2), and leaf area index were not significantly affected. At end-season irrigation with saline water significantly decreased ear height (cm), ear weight (g), number of grains/row, 100 kernel weight (g), grain yield (g/plot), biological yield (g/plot), straw yield (g/plot), and harvest index while number of rows/ear was not significantly affected. Also, at end-season foliar application of salicylic acid significantly increased all the studied parameters except for ear height (cm), number of rows/ear, and harvest index. The interaction between salinity and salicylic acid was not significant for all the studied parameters except for grain yield meaning that every factor is acting independently from each other. In conclusion, salicylic acid could be used as an antioxidants or potential growth regulator to improve corn growth and grain yield under salinity conditions.
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