Impact of drought stress on biochemical responses, energy, and water productivity on maize forage (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Drought stress is the most important limiting factor in crop plants including maize (Zea mays L.), which is the third important world crop after wheat and rice. To examine the quantity and quality of forage as well as energy and water productivity of two maize varieties to drought stress, a field experiment was carried out as a split plot based on a completely randomized block design with three replications in Isfahan, Iran, during 2017 and 2018 growing seasons. The main and sub-plots were three irrigation regimes (100%, 80, and 60% full irrigation) and two maize varieties (704 and Maxima), respectively. Data analysis showed that drought stress harmed wet and dry forage yield and energy productivity, while its effect was positive on some forage quality such as ash, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), hemicellulose free cell wall (ADF), and lignin (ADL). Based on results, drought stress of 60% full irrigation resulted in reduced wet and dry forage maize yields. In addition, drought stress affected relationships among measured traits. According to increasing dried fodder and decreasing output energy under stress conditions, early mature variety Maxima is more proper to be used under drought stress. Besides, the Maxima variety was shown to be a suitable variety due to increasing dry matter and crude protein as well as decrease ADF and ADL than the 704 variety. Article Highlights We submit an original research article entitled Effect of water stress on forage yield and quality and water and energy productivity in Maize (Zea mays L.). In this paper, we indicated regarding to impacts of climate change phenomenon throughout the world on crop production, especially in arid regions such as Iran, choosing proper variety can be one of the best candidates to provide for forage. The results of present paper have shown that the drought stress had no effect on water productivity of two maize varieties. The superiority of some forage quality traits in drought stress compared to the control in maize means that in drought conditions, maize forage can be used and increase the profitability of livestock products.