Effect of Abiotic Stress on Irrigated Maize Forage Yield as Compared to Sorghum

Abstract

A study was conducted in Sudan (Africa) during the summer and winter seasons (2013 – 2014) at two locations: Shambat (normal soils) and Soba (salt affected soils). Nine maize (Zeamays L.) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) cultivars were studied under two watering regimes arranged in split plot experiment in randomized complete block design. The eight test-environments created by the combination of locations, seasons and watering regimes were used to investigate the effect of salt, water and heat stresses on forage yield and some related traits. The results showed that separate and combined stress factors significantly reduced forage yield. The greatest reduction in dry matter yield caused by one factor was shown by salt stress (29.6%) and the least reduction was caused by heat stress (3.9%). Water stress coupled with either heat or salt stress caused the greater reduction in yield (37.0%-43.3%) than the combination of the other factors. Full stress caused 53.8% yield reduction. Days to tasseling was significantly reduced by heat stress whereas water and salt stress showed no significant effect on tasseling duration. Full stress caused the greatest effect on days to tasseling. Plant height and stem diameter were significantly reduced by salt and water stress. Two hybrids kept top rank in yield through most abiotic stress levels showing resilience to unfavorable environments. All maize genotypes significantly outyielded the sorghum check under no heat stress (winter sowing) regardless the effect of salt and water stresses while the opposite is true under the heat stress (summer sowing). It was concluded that salt and water stress are the major abiotic stresses limiting forage maize production. Maize tolerate better reduction in temperature than dose sorghum while the latter tolerate better salt and water stresses than dose maize. Forage maize could be competitively grown during summer if water and salt stresses are avoided

Influence of Exogenous 28-Homobrassinolide Optimized Dosage and EDAH Application on Hormone Status, Grain Filling, and Maize Production

“…All stages of maize growth and development are susceptible to low (5-15 • C) and high temperatures [4,5] and other abiotic factors limiting the plant growth in different geographical distributions [6]. Abiotic stresses such as high and low temperatures, drought, salinity, nutrient deficiency, heavy metals, and waterlogging are the main environmental factors that affect maize growth [7,8]. In particular, recent extreme temperatures and uneven precipitation frequency distribution are the growth-limiting abiotic factors that severely affect plant physiology by disturbing the leaf photosynthesis, which causes plant growth inhibition and decreased biomass, yield, and maize final yield production [9][10][11][12].…”

Harvest Time Effect on Quantitativeandqualitative Parameters of Forage Maize

“…These environmental stresses during the reproductive stages significantly reduce yield and nutritional value of maize whole-plant (Ferreira et al, 2016), and thus cause large economic loss. Also, the plant height, stem diameter and forage yield of maize are significantly reduced under drought and heat stresses (Mohammed and Mohammed, 2019). Drought delays development of the maize plant increases the leaf/stem ratio and reduces the cell wall concentration (Brown, 2017).…”