Water stress and nitrogen limitation effects on corn (Zea mays L.) competition with a C3 and a C4 weed.
To examine how drought and nitrogen limitation might affect crop competitive ability with C3 or C4 weeds, a two year experiment was conducted at the research field of Plant Pest and Disease Research Institute, Karaj, in 2002 and 2003. Irrigation interval (every 7d and 14d (moderate drought stress)), nitrogen rate (recommended and 1/4 recommended), and crop-weed competition (corn, corn-common lambsquarters (Chenopodium album L.), corn-redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.), and corn-common lambsquarters-redroot pigweed) were studied in a split-factorial design with 4 replications, with irrigation interval as the main plot, and factorial combination of the other two factors as the sub-plot. Grain yield, harvest index (HI), water and nitrogen use efficiencies (WUE and NUE, respectively) were measured at harvest. Drought and nitrogen deficiency reduced corn grain yield and HI (except for corn-redroot pigweed and corn-common lambsquarters treatments under drought stress). Redroot pigweed was found inhibitorier to corn compared to common lambsquarters in all irrigation and nitrogen levels. Corn WUE reduced under drought condition and competition, but drought caused less reduction in corn WUE when it competed with common lambsquarters compared to redroot pigweed. This shows that drought has more negative effect on C3 weeds (probably due to higher reduction in stomatal conductance and increment in photo-respiration under these conditions compared to a C4 plant). The same result was obtained for corn NUE under nitrogen limitation and competition. In other words, nitrogen deficiency had more inhibitory effect on common lambsquarters competitive ability compared with redroot pigweed. Totally, it was concluded that drought stress and nitrogen deficiency, as the two results of climate change, had more negative effect on C3 weeds compared with C4.
Zand
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Department of Weed Research, Plant Pest and Disease Research Institute, P.O. Box 19395-1454, Tehran, Iran.
Soufizadeh
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S
Eskandari
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D027721:Amaranthus / Q000254:growth & development*; D027463:Chenopodium album / Q000254:growth & development*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D010572:Pest Control, Biological; D011897:Random Allocation; D012621:Seasons; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism*; D003313:Zea mays / Q000254:growth & development*
D014867:Water; D009584:Nitrogen