Physiological Strategies to Improve the Performance of Spring Maize (Zea mays L.) Planted under Early and Optimum Sowing Conditions.
Low temperature at stand establishment and high temperature at reproductive stage are involved in reduction of grain yield of spring maize. A field study was therefore conducted to evaluate different physiological strategies for improving performance of spring maize under temperature extremes. Seed priming and foliar spray with 3% moringa leaf extract (MLE) and 100 mg L-1 kinetin solution alone or in all possible combinations with each other at three growth stages (knee height, tasseling and grain filling stage) and hydropriming was compared with control. Seed priming plus foliar spray of MLE and kinetin significantly improved stand establishment especially under early sown crop as indicated by reduced mean emergence time (MET), improved emergence index (EI) and final emergence percentage (FEP). Similarly increased chlorophyll contents, crop growth rate, leaf area index, photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, relative water content and decreased membrane permeability were recorded in both early and optimum sowing conditions in MLE priming plus foliar spray treatment. All these improvements were harvested in the form of increased yield and harvest index compared with control treatment. Overall crop sown at optimum time performed best but exogenous application of MLE through seed priming and foliar spray maximally improved the performance of early sown maize crop which is attributed more likely due to improved stand establishment, chlorophyll and phenolic contents, increased leaf area duration and grain filling period. It can be concluded that seed priming with MLE along with its foliar spray could increase production of maize under temperature extremes.
Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan.
Muhammad Amir
MA
Bakhtavar
Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan.
Irfan
I
Afzal
Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan.
Shahzad Maqsood Ahmed
SM
Basra
Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan.
Azraf-Ul-Haq
AU
Ahmad
Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad-38040, Pakistan; Department of Agricultural Extension and Rural Society, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Mehmood Ali
MA
Noor
D012639:Seeds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism; D003313:Zea mays / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
D014867:Water