Effect of Filter Cake on Physiological Traits and Ear Yield of Sweet Corn under Late Drought Stress Condition

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors

1 Department of Agronomy, Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University, Khuzestan Mollasani, Ahwaz, Iran

2 Sugarcane Research and Training Institute, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
Environmental stresses are one of the main causes of severe yield reductions. Drought is still a serious agronomic problem and also one of the most important factors contributing to crop yield loss in arid and semi-arid areas in the world. Filter Cake is a byproduct of sugarcane industry and experiments on corn showed that the use of 20 tons per hectare Filter Cake increases crop productivity, total amount of dry matter, protein and forage yield compared with the control.
Materials and methods
This experiment was conducted at the Research Station of the Ramin Agricultural University of Khuzestan in 2012. The experiment was done as a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Drought stress at the end of the growth period in three levels, non-stress, mild and severe drought stress, respectively irrigated after 25, 50 and 75% depletion of available water, and was considered as the main factor. Drought stress was applied in early stage of the male inflorescence of plants to maturity for 35 days, due to the critical stage of the plant in late spring. Soil moisture was determined by gravimetric method. Different doses of Filter Cake (0, 10, 20 and 30 tons per hectare) were considered as subplot factor and was added to the soil two days before the seeding. The final harvest as green corn was performed in the first phase of dough by hand in three times and two midfields of each subplot was considered as the margin of half a meter for each side. Finally, the data were analyzed using SAS 9.1 and means were compared by Duncan’s multiple range test at probability level of 5%.

Results and discussion
In non-stress conditions, Filter Cake is significantly increased plant height, So the amounts of 20 and 30 tons per hectare increased by 11.7% and 10.1% of the plant’s height, respectively, but the use of 10 tons of Filter Cake did not have a significant effect on it. In severe stress conditions, the use of different levels of Filter Cake significantly reduced the plant’s height. Although Mild stress did not have a significant effect on membrane stability index, severe drought stress reduced it about 17.5% compared with non-stress treatments. The osmotic potential in normal conditions was the highest, however, it was decreased with increasing stress. Therefore, in severe stress conditions and treatment without Filter Cake, osmotic potential was -1.71 MPa. Mild and severe drought stress significantly reduced soluble proteins of the leaf by 12.5% and 17.1%, respectively compared with the control. Application of 10 tons per hectare of Filter Cake had no significant effect on sodium ion concentration, but using 20 and 30 tons per hectare of Filter Cake increased the concentration by 39% and 44%, respectivelycompared with the control. The use of 10 tons of Filter Cake in non-stress conditions had no significant effect on Na, but using 20 and 30 tons per hectare of Filter Cake increased the amount of Na by 10% and 13.7%,, respectively compared with the control. In severe stress conditions, the use of 20 and 30 tons per hectare of Filter Cake decreased fresh weight yield by 9% and 14.5%,, respectively. Under non-stress conditions, the use of Filter Cake led to increased dry matter production. In severe stress conditions the use of 10 tons per hectare of Filter Cake did not have significant effects on biological yield, but application of 20 and 30 tons per hectare of Filter Cake decreased biological yield by19% and 23%, respectively compared with treatment without Filter Cake.
Conclusion
The results showed that: (1) Drought stress reduces the growth and yield of sweet corn and economic benefit in spring planting in Khuzestan province. (2) The use of Filter Cake through physical modification of the soil, causes uniformity of germination and early growth acceleration of product, and in non-stress conditions increases economic performance. (3) In drought stress conditions, the use of Filter Cake, due to high salinity and salt accumulation in the root zone, causes secondary oxidative stress and increases damage to cell membranes and reduces the economic benefit.


In order to investigate the effect of Filter Cake levels application on some morpho-physiological characteristics and ear yield of sweet corn (Zea mays var saccharata) under late drought stress condition, an experiment was conducted in Ramin Agriculture and Natural Resources University, Khuzestan, at 2012. The experiment was arranged in split-plots design in RCBD (Randomized Complete Block Design) with three replications. Treatments of experiment were drought stress (irrigation after 25, 50 and 75% depletion of available water content) in main plots and filter cake (0, 10, 20 and 30 ton.ha-1) arranged in sub-plots. Results showed that the effect of drought stress significant on more traits and led to decrease of plant height, leaf area index (LAI), membrane stability index(MSI), leaf osmotic potential, soluble protein contents, ear and biological yield while effect of drought stress on shoot sodium concentration was not significant. The intensive drought stress led to decrease 21.7 and 27.3% ear and biological yield compared to control respectively. Application of filter cake on non-stress led to increase height of plant and ear and biological yield. But high levels of filter cake in intensive stress led to increase salinity and damage to cell membranes and reduce LAI and MSI and thus reduce economic performance. It also the amount of 30 ton.ha-1 of filter cake in intensive stress condition has been decrease ear and biological yield 18.7 and 23.3% compared to non-filter cake application respectively.

Keywords


Alizadeh, A. 2008. Soil and plant water relations. Compilation. Publication of Imam Reza, Mashhad, Iran p. 132-146. (In Persian)
Ashraf, M. 2009. Biotechnological approach of improving plant salt tolerance using antioxidants as markers. Biotechnology Advances 27: 84-93.
Bradford, M.M. 1976. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantitation of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-day binding. Analytical Biochemistry 72: 248-254.
Chapman, H.D., and Pratt, P.F. 1982. Methods of Plant Analysis. In: I. Methods of Analysis for Soils, Plants and Water. Chapman Publishers, Riverside, CA.
Gui-Rui, Y., Wangm, Q.F., and Zhuang, J. 2004. Modeling the water use efficiency of soybean and maize plants under environmental stresses: application of a synthetic model of photosynthesis-transpiration based on stomatal behavior. Plant Physiology 161: 303–318.
Hashemi Dezfoli, S.A., Alami Said, K., Siedet, S.A., and Komeyli, M. 2001. Effect of planting date on yield potential of two cultivars of sweet corn in the climate of Khuzestan. Journal of Agricultural Sciences 32: 82-94. (In Persian with English Summary)
Jesus, A., and Enriquez, D. 2001. Evaluation of organic-mineral fertilizer of filter cake on yield and quality of sugarcane. Institute National of Investigation, Brazil. 73 pp.
Juan, F.L. 1989. Application of Filter Muds to Sugarcane Soils. Huastecas Expriment Station, CD. Valles, S.L.P., Mexico 127 pp.
Khan, S.U., Bano, A., Ud-din, J., and Ggurmani, A.R. 2012. Abscisic acid and salicylic acid seed treatment as potent inducer of drought tolerance in wheat (Triticum astivum L.). Pakistan journal of Botany 44: 43-49.
Malakouti, M.J., Moshiri, F., and Ghaibi, M.N. 2005. Optimum levels of nutrients in soil and some agronomic and horticultural crops. Soil and Water Research Institue. Technical Bulletin. Karaj, Iran. No. 405. (In Persian)
Martin, J.P., and Haider, K. 1998. Decomposition of specifically babelled carbon-14 labeled frolic acid free and linked into model humic acid-type polymers. Soil Science Society of American Journal 40: 377-380.
Mercedes, R., Romero, A., Oliva, J., and Jesus, C. 2006. Silicon alleviates the deleterious salt effect on tomato plant growth by improving plant water status. Journal of Plant Physiology 163: 847-855.
Mohammadi, A.A., Majid, A., Bihamta, M.R., and Heydari Sharifabadi, H. 2006. Evaluation of drought stress on the morphological characteristics of cultivated wheat varieties. Journal of Research and Development 73: 184-192. (In Persian with English Summary)
Neyakani, M., and Ghorbanli, M. 2007. The effect of drought stress on growth parameters, photosynthetic factors, content of protein, Na and K in shoot and root in two soybean cultivars. Herbs 8: 17-31. (In Persian)
Poshtdar, A., Siedet, S.A., Abdali Mashhadi, A., Moosavi, S.A., and Hamdi, H. 2012. Comparison between application of PGPR bacteria and chemical fertilizers on quality and total silage yield of maize under different organic seed bed. International Journal of Agriculture and Crop Sciences 4: 713-717.
Ranjan, R., Bohra, S.P., and Jeet, A.M. 2001. Book of Plant Senescence. Jodhpur, Agro bios New York p. 18-42.
Sairam, R.K., Chandrasekhar, V., and Srivastava, G.C. 2001. Comparison of hexaploid and tetraploid wheat cultivars in their response to water stress. Biologia Plantarum 44: 89-94.
Saneoka, H., Moghaieb, R.E.A., Premachandra, G.S., and Fujita, K. 2004. Nitrogen nutrition and water stress effects on cell membrane stability and leaf water relations in Agrostis palustris Huds. Environmental and Experimental Botany 52: 131–138.
Siosemardeh, A., Ahmadi, A., Poustini, K., and Ebrahimzadeh, H. 2003. Stomatal and nonstomatal limitations to photosynthesis and their relationship with drought resistance in wheat cultivars. Iranian Journal of Agriculture Science 34: 93-106. (In Persian with English Summary)
Tas, S., and Tas, B. 2007. Some physiological responses of drought stress in wheat genotypes with different ploidity in turkiye. World Journal of Agricultural Sciences 3: 178-183.
CAPTCHA Image