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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
Potassium application improves grain yield and alleviates drought susceptibility in diverse maize hybrids
Plants, Volume 9, No. 1, Article 75, Year 2020
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Description
Maize (Zea mays L.) is an important component of global food security but its production is threatened by abiotic stresses in climate change scenarios, especially drought stress. Many multinational companies have introduced maize hybrids worldwide which have variable performance under diverse environmental conditions. The maize production is likely to be affected by a future water crisis. Potassium (K) is a well-known macronutrient which improves the performance of cereals under abiotic stresses. In this field experiment, we assessed the influence of soil applied K on the productivity of diverse maize hybrids grown under well-watered and drought stress conditions. The study consisted of three K levels viz., control (no KCl), KCl at 50 kg ha−1, and KCI at 75 kg ha−1 factorally combined with two irrigation levels (i.e., normal recommended irrigation, well-watered condition, and half of the recommended irrigation, drought stress condition) and eight maize hybrids. Irrigation was kept in main plots, potassium in subplot, and maize hybrids in sub-subplots. The results revealed that performance of the maize hybrids was significantly influenced by all three factors, and the interaction of irrigation with potassium and irrigation with hybrids was significant; results being non-significant for all other interactions. Potassium application improved yield traits and water productivity under both normal and water stress conditions but effect was more prominent under water stress conditions than normal conditions. Potassium application also alleviated drought susceptibility of all maize hybrids. In all cases, the performance of maize hybrids was maximum under potassium application at 75 kg ha−1. © 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.
Authors & Co-Authors
UL-Allah, Sami
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Ijaz, Muhammad Furqan
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Nawaz, Ahmad
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Sattar, Abdul A.
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Sher, Ahmad
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Naeem, Muhammad Asif
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Shahzad, Umbreen
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Farooq, Umar
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Nawaz, Farukh
Pakistan, Multan
Bahauddin Zakariya University
Mehmood, Khalid M.
Denmark, Aarhus
Aarhus Universitet
Statistics
Citations: 44
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 2
Identifiers
Doi:
10.3390/plants9010075
ISSN:
22237747
Research Areas
Environmental
Food Security
Study Approach
Quantitative