Water Stress Influence on The Vegetative Period Yield Components of Different Maize Genotypes

Abstract

Maize is an important food staple in many countries, and is useful in animal feed and many industrial applications. Its productivity is highly sensitive to drought stress, which may occur at any period during its growth cycle. The objective of this work was to compare the water stress influence on the performance of different maize genotypes in critical vegetative stages. Four genotypes of maize (namely a single-cross hybrid (AG 9045), a double-cross hybrid (AG 9011), a triple-cross hybrid (AG 5011), and a variety (AL Bandeirante)) were subjected to a 10-day period without irrigation in the vegetative stages that determine the number of kernel rows and the plant’s ability to take up nutrients and water (V4, V6 and V8). The impact of low water availability was assessed by analyzing plant height, height of the first ear insertion, stem diameter, yield per plant, and number of rows per ear, evincing that the yield per plant was the most sensitive parameter in all the stages. With regard to the influence of the genotype, the single-cross hybrid was demonstrated to be the most resilient to water shortage.

Effects of soil nutrient amendments on growth and grain yield performances of quality protein maize grown under water deficit stress in Ibadan, Nigeria

“…In this study, water deficit stress at vegetative stage (STR1) accounted for 41 % loss in grain yield, this finding agreed with the report of Rufino et al (2018). Water deficit stress affects all the various metabolic processes and yield components in plant and in turn reduced crop yield potential.…”

Regulation of Agronomic Traits, Nutrient Uptake, Osmolytes and Antioxidants of Maize as Influenced by Exogenous Potassium Silicate under Deficit Irrigation and Semiarid Conditions

“…Furthermore, maize provides suitable raw materials for several industries such as starch, fodder, silage and biofuels [13][14][15]. It is well documented that maize is highly sensitive to drought stress during any period of its growth cycle [16]. Water stress can cause considerable loss in the grain yield ranging from approximately 40-65% according to the genotype, stage of plant growth (the reproductive stage is more sensitive than the vegetative stage) and both the intensity and duration of exposure [17].…”

Minimizing the Adverse Impact of Drought on Corn by Applying Foliar Potassium Humate Combined with Chitosan

“…While in terms of morphology, exposure of corn plants to drought contributed to inhibiting plant growth and other vegetative and yield traits. I hypothesized that due to the decrease in levels of leaf extension, cell division, photosynthetic capacity, and enlargement rates, these results are shown by (de Araujo et al (2018), Mi et al (2018), and Kulczycki et al (2022). Furthermore, Kulczycki et al (2022) added, "although corn as another C 4 plant is highly efficient in water use, it remains sensitive to water availability.…”

“…Agricultural production is impacted by a range of environmental factors, including drought (Kim et al 2019). Water stress is considered one of the main obstacles to global agricultural production, as it inhibits leaf area, and vegetative and reproductive growth of crops (Sadras et al 2016;de Araujo et al 2018;Laskari et al 2022). To define suitable water regimes for various crops in the agricultural sector, several technologies and methodologies are well developed (Akhavan et al 2019).…”