The effect of saline water on growth and production indicators of Zea mays L. and salt accumulation in the soil

Abstract

The experiment was applied at Al-ssaouira Research Station, General Authority for Agricultural Research- Ministry of Agriculture, Wasit, Iraq. The study aim was to study the response of Zea mays L. (106 cultivar) to salinity levels of irrigation water during different stages of growth, and to study the state of salt accumulation in the soil and water efficiency and the relative production. Clay mixture soil and using irrigation water of different salinity have been used. It has an electrical conductivity of 1.2 deS/m (S1) (River water), 3 deS/m (S2), 6 deS/m (S3), and add requirements of 20% washing, and three times for plant growth: M1: germination stage, M2: flowering stage, M3: maturity stage.

The experiment parameters represented the time of irrigation water management and according to the types, as: F1: Irrigation with S1 saline water for all growth stages, F2: Irrigation with S2 salinity water for all growth stages, F3: Irrigation with salinity water S3 for all growth stages, F4: Irrigation with water S1 through M1, S2 through M2, S3 through M3, F5: Irrigation with water S2 through M1, S3 through M2, S1 through M3 and F6: Irrigation with water S3 through M1, S1 through M2, S2 through M3.Some indicators of the growth of the crop and the accumulation of salts in the soil after the harvest time were monitored.The results indicated that the treatments F1 and F4, which represent irrigation with fresh water during the early stages, were superior to the rest of the treatments. There were no significant differences between these two treatments in terms of plant height, number of grains/ weight of 500 grains, and this differs significantly from other treatments, especially the stages that represent giving Saline irrigation (S3) during all stages of growth. For the dry weight and the total grain yield, it was found that the treatment F1 was superior, which indicates the administration of fresh water during the early stage (M1). This means the role of quality irrigation water during the sensitive stages of growth. This has become clear for this crop that the early stages are more sensitive than the other stages. Therefore, a reduction of the total plant yield or grain yield, occurred during the stages in which saline water qualities (S3) are given in all stages of growth (F3), or this water was given during sensitive stages, including M1, followed by irrigation with fresh water during the second stage (M2) of plant growth and is F6. Therefore, the largest relative loss of the yield occurred during these treatments, while the relative loss of the yield decreased in the other treatments,Water efficiency may be used for treatments that are irrigated with fresh water (F1) compared to other treatments. This is evidence of the preservation of the crop at this salinity and a small decrease in water efficiency for the treatments that represent giving the second type of water in the early stages (F2 and F5). It is through the double decrease of the relative production yield of the coefficients (F1 and F4) which represent the administration of fresh water (S1) either during all stages of growth or the early stages of growth.

Key words: saline water, growth, Zea mays, salt accumulation, soil

DOI: 10.7176/JEES/15-3-01

Publication date: May 30th 2025