Effect of Silicon Fertilization on Growth and Yield of Hybrid Maize Under Irrigated and Rainfed Conditions
-
AuthorS.Manojkumar*, R. Karthikeyan and N.Maragatham
p-ISSN:0024-9602, Vol:105, Issue:10-12, Page No:530
DOI:10.29321/MAJ 2018.000198
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of silicon fertilization
on growth and yield of hybrid maize under irrigated and rainfed conditions
during Rabi, 2017-18 at Eastern Block farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural
University, Coimbatore. The treatments comprised of two factors. Factor
one consistsed of three irrigation strategies viz., M1 – adequate irrigation
(at regular intervals), M2 – limited irrigation (at critical stages) and M3 – no
irrigation (rainfed) and factor two consistsed of silicon sources viz., S1 - seed
priming with 1.5 mM of sodium meta silicate for 12 hrs, S2 – foliar application
of silicic acid @ 0.2 % at knee high and tassel initiation stages, S3 – seed
priming with 1.5 mM sodium meta silicate and foliar application of silicic
acid @ 0.2 % twice at knee high and tassel initiation stages, S4 – water spray
and S5 – control. The results of the study indicated that adequate irrigation
strategy registered significantly higher growth and yield parameters, grain
and stover yield of maize. Higher grain yield 6679 kg/ha was recorded under
adequate irrigation (M1) condition. Silicon application as seed priming with
1.5 mM of sodium meta silicate and foliar application of silicic acid @ 0.2
% at knee high and tassel initiation stages was recorded higher grain yield
of 6130 kg/ha. It was comparable with foliar application of silicic acid @
0.2 % at knee high and tassel initiation stages alone in registering higher
growth and yield of maize.
Key words : Maize, Irrigation strategies, Silicon sources, Yield
