Assess Effect of Deficit Irrigation and Super Absorbent Ploymer on Crop Production and Growth Indices of Corn under Dry and Warm Climate Condition

Abstract

<strong>BACKGROUND:</strong> Polyacrylamide is the main synthetic polymer used, and it absorbs water through the formation of hydrogen bonds. Super Absorbent Polymer (SAP) can absorb water up to 200<strong>-</strong>400 times its weight and increase its size by up to 100 times.<br /> <strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> Evaluate effect of different irrigation regime and super absorbent polymer on agrophysiological traits of maize.<br /> <strong>METHODS:</strong> This study was done via split plot experiment based on randomized complete blocks design during 2016 with three replications. The main factor included irrigation regimes (M₁: Conventional irrigation or control, M₂: Alternate furrow irrigation from 4 leaves stage until silk emergence and after conventional, M₃: Normal irrigation until silk emergence and after alternate furrow irrigation). Three level of super absorbent polymer (S₁: non use of SAP, S₂: 25 kg.ha^-1, S₃: 50 kg.ha^-1 SAP) belonged to the sub factor.<br /> <strong>RESULT:</strong> Result of analysis of variance indicated effect of different irrigation regime and SAP on seed yield, biologic yield and harvest index was significant at 1% probability level also interaction effect of treatments on measured traits (instead harvest index) was significant. Mean comparison result of different irrigation regime revealed the maximum amount of seed yield (5670 kg.ha^-1), biologic yield (1401 gr.m^-2), harvest index (40.47%), total dry weight (1800 gr.m^-2), leaf area index (4.95), crop growth rate (39 gr.m^-2.day^-1), net assimilation rate (8.5 gr.m^-2.day^-1) and relative growth rate (0.15 gr. gr^-1.day^-1) was obtained for M₁ and minimum of mentioned traits was for M₂ treatment. Compare different level of SAP showed that the maximum amount of seed yield, biologic yield, harvest index and growth indices belonged to S₃ treatment also the lowest amount of measured traits were for S₁ treatment. Assessment mean comparison result of interaction effect of treatments indicated maximum seed yield (6300 kg.ha^-1) and biologic yield (1456 gr.m^-2) was noted for M₁S₃ and lowest amount of measured traits belonged to M₂S₁ treatment.<br /> <strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Generally between different deficient irrigation treatments M₃ treatment had highest amount in total dry matter, leaf area index, crop growth rate, net assimilation rate, relative growth rate, biologic yield, seed yield and harvest index, so in water stress situation M₃ treatment with use 50 kg.ha^-1 SAP it can be advice to farmers.