EFFECT OF NON-IRRIGATED WATER STRESS ON MEMBRANE INJURY, GROWTH AND YIELD PERFORMANCE OF FOUR MAIZE VARIETIES

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted in research field and laboratory of Crop Physiology and Ecology Department, Hajee Mohammad Danesh science and Technology University (HSTU), Dinajpur during the period of December 2015 to May 2016 to study the effect of non-irrigated water stress on morphological and yield characteristics of four maize varieties (BARI hybrid maize-7, Golden Star, KC 505 and Fortune Gold). The maize varieties were tested under well watered and non-irrigated water stress condition to evaluate morphological and yield performance of maize in relation to water stress. The experiment was conducted in a split plot design with three replications. Based on relative injury (%) variety BARI hybrid maize-7 might be considered as drought tolerant, whereas, variety Fortune Gold was considered as drought susceptible and other two varieties viz. KC 505 and Golden Star were moderately drought tolerant. The combine effects of growing conditions (water level) and maize varieties significantly influenced length of leaf blade, tassel length, plant height, single plant weight, relative leaf water content, number of fertile cobs per plant, number of row per cob, number grains per cob, single cob weight, weight of seeds per cob, 100-seed weight, single plant weight as well as grain yield. Two hybrid varieties (BARI hybrid maize-7 and Golden Star) showed relatively better performance under nonirrigated water stress condition in those morphological and yield characters compared to other varieties (KC 505 and Fortune Gold). Based on drought susceptibility index BARI hybrid maize-7 and Golden Star were found as comparatively drought tolerant than the other varieties (KC 505 and Fortune Gold).