Investigating of boron and zinc compound application on corn seed set in Mazandaran environment, Iran
Subject Areas : New Finding in AgricultureM. Mohseni 1 , M. H. Haddadi 2 , R. Valiolahpor 3
1 - Scientific Member of Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Mazandaran Province, Sari, Iran
2 - Scientific Member of Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Mazandaran Province, Sari, Iran
3 - Scientific Member of Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Center of Mazandaran Province, Sari, Iran
Keywords: Zinc, seed corn, Boron, seed set,
Abstract :
In some corn fields, in different parts of Iran, the phenomenon of partly grain free ear is observed. This phenomenon can severely decreases corn yield. Although most researchers, mention that this phenomenon is the result of moisture and heat stresses at the time of pollination, but some other researches believed that it is due to the nutritional factors, especially Boron and Zinc nutritional elements. In order to examine the effect of zinc and boron application on corn grain production, an experiment was conducted at Gharakhil Agricultural research station in Ghaemshahr during the 2003-2006. The experiment was factorial and conducted in the field as a Randomized Complete Block Design, with 20 treatments, and 3 replications. The treatments were composed of five level of zinc (O, 8, 16 and 24 kg.ha-1 in soil and foliar application of ZnSO4 with 0.5 percent concentration) and four levels of Boron (0, 20 and 40 kg.ha-1 of boric acid in soil and foliar application of boric acid with 0.3 percent concentration), and finally their means were compared. The result from Mazandaran experiment, showed that application of Zinc caused a significant increased in grain yield ( = 5%), but application of Boron individually or Zinc in combination with Boron, had not significant effect on grain yield. The maximum grain yield (10380 kg.ha-1) was obtained due to application of 120 kg. ha-1 ZnS04 and 40 kg. ha-1 Boric Acid, which produced more yield (1415 kg. ha-1). The application of Zinc individually had only a significant effect on the length of corn ear and plant height, but application of Zn + Born had significant effect on length and diameter of corn ear percent of partly grain free and their effect on other studied parameters were not significant.
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