Influence of potassium and micronutrients application on yield and micronutrients absorption of forage maize under drought stress situation

ABSTRACT: To study the effect of drought stress, potassium and, soil and foliar application of micronutrient on yield and yield components of hybrid grain–maize S.C.704, this study was conducted in split-split-plot experiment based on RCBD with three replications in 2010 in Urmia. The factors were: drought stress as a main factor with two levels (normal irrigation and drought stress), potassium as a sub-plot with two levels(non-application and 200kg/ha application) and micronutrients as sub-sub-plot with three levels(non-application, soil application for Fe, Mn and Zn at the rate of 100, 100 and 60 kg/ha and foliar application at the rate of 5kg/ha). The studied factors were: fresh forage, biomass,concentration of Fe, Mn and Zn in grain, leaf and stalk. Results showed that; foliar application of micronutrients increased the whole characteristics except biomass that increased with soil application of micronutrients. Foliar application of micronutrients with potassium in drouth stress situation, significantly increased concentration of Fe and Mn in stalk and Zn in grain, leaf and stalk. Foliar application of micronutrients and drouth stress without potassium increased concentration of Fe in grain. In normal irrigation form: Foliar application of micronutrients without using potassium increased concentration of Mn in leaf, but soil application of micronutrients with using potassium increased biomass. It can be concluded that in drought stress, useing potassium with micronutrients leads to improvement of growth index, therefore under this conditions useing these nutrients is recommended in Urmia.