The Role of Foliar Spraying with Zinc Sulfate Solution and the Frequency of Watering on Some Components of Grain Yield in Maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

This study was carried out in Abi Jarash farm, Faculty of Agriculture, Damascus University, during the agricultural season 2021, in order to study the effect of foliar nutrition agents with zinc at concentrations (0,11.50,17.25,23)ppm (in the form of aqueous zinc sulfate ZnSO₄.7H₂O, the percentage of zinc is (23%). And the frequency of watering ( one watering every week,  one watering every two weeks,   one watering every three weeks) in some morphological and productive characteristics of maize plants: plant height (cm), cob length (cm), number of grain per cob (grain.cob^-1), grains weight per cob (g), grain yield (kg.ha^1-). The results of the statistical analysis showed that there were significant differences in all the studied characteristics between the treatments of spraying with zinc, where the treatment of foliar spraying with a concentration of (17.25ppm) was significantly superior in the characteristics of grains weight per cob (97.36)g, and the grain yield (9736) kg.ha^-1. While the treatment of foliar spraying with zinc at a concentration of (23ppm) was significantly superior in the number of grain per cob (354.3) grains.cob^-1, plant height (170.9)cm, cob length (16.56)cm, and showed significant differences between the frequency of watering every week was significantly superior in plant height and the results also showed that there were significant differences between the frequency of irrigation. The irrigation treatment every week was significantly superior in the characteristic of plant height (172.3)cm, cob length (17.34)cm, grain weight per cob (92.55)g, and the number of per cob (457.8)grains.cob^-1 and grain yield (9255)kg.ha^1-, compared with the irrigation treatment every three weeks. The results also showed that there were significant differences in the interaction between the treatments of spraying with zinc and the frequency of irrigation, as not spraying with zinc and irrigation every week resulted in obtaining the highest cob length without. There were significant differences between them and the treatments of spraying with zinc with the same frequency of irrigation, and the height of the plant and the number of grains were significantly higher when spraying with zinc with a concentration of (23ppm) and irrigation every week, and spraying with zinc with a concentration of (17.25ppm) and irrigation every week resulted in obtaining the highest grain weight and grain yield .