Issue 2 (178)/2019

The impact of soil amendment of super absorbent polymer on grain yield and yield components of corn in center of Iran

M.H. Shahrajabian^1,2,3*, W. Sun^2,3, Q. Cheng^2,3, M. Khoshkharam¹

¹Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Isfahan (Khorasgan) Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

²Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China

³Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Qi Institute, Chuangye Road, Jiaxing, Zhejiang, China

*E-mail: hesamshahrajabian@gmail.com 

Received: Feb. 04, 2019. Revised: July 17, 2019. Accepted: July 31, 2019. Published online: Oct. 18, 2019

ABSTRACT. Corn is one of the most important cereal crop grown in Iran. A complete randomized design with four replications was used to analysis the influence of soil amendment of super absorbent polymer on grain yield and yield components of corn in center of Iran in 2016 and 2017. Treatments with super absorbent polymer were 0 kg/ha (S1), 15 kg/ha (S2), 30 kg/ha (S3), and treatments with fertilizers were 50% (F1), 75% (F2), 100% (F3), which could be combined into nine pots. The influence of super absorbent polymer was significant on spike weight in 2017, above-ground biomass in 2016, one hundred seed weight in 2016, and grain yield in 2017. There was no meaningful influence of super absorbent polymer on spike weight in 2016, above-ground biomass in 2017, 100 seed weight in 2017 and grain yield in 2016. Fertilizer treatments had significant influence on spike weight, above-ground biomass, 100 seed weight, and grain yield in both 2016 and 2017. The interaction between SAP and fertilizers had significant effect on above ground biomass in 2017. In both years, the highest spike weight, above ground biomass, 100 seed weight and grain yield was related to S3 (30 kg/ha), followed by S2 (15 kg/ha) and S1 (0 kg/ha), respectively. 100% application of fertili-zer (F3) had obtained the maximum spike weight, above ground biomass, 100 seed weight and grain in both 2016 and 2017. Our data have shown that the applied SAP had a remarkable effect on corn growth and yield under different fertilization treatments, and its application of 30 kg/ha gave the best corn production index.

Keywords: maize; grain yield; 100 seed weight; fertilizer.

INTRODUCTION

Appropriate agronomical ma-nagements are necessary to meet the growing needs for food production (Shahrajabian et al., 2011; Soleymani and Shahrajabian, 2012; Shahrajabian et al., 2013; Soleymani et al., 2013; Ogbaji et al., 2013; Soleymani et al., 2016; Soleymani and Shahrajabian, 2017; Shahrajabian and Soleymani, 2017; Shahrajabian et al., 2017; Yong et al., 2017; Abdollahi et al., 2018; Shahrajabian et al., 2018; Soleymani and Shahrajabian, 2018). Drought stress and water shortage is one of the most important restricting factors in crop production in the world (Soleymani et al., 2011; Amini et al., 2012; Ogbaji et al., 2018). Corn (Zea mays L.) requires large quantities of water and fertilizers to grow and develop its organs (Orosz et al., 2009; Khoshkharam et al., 2010; Soleymani et al., 2012).

Corn is one the most important cereal crops grown in Iran, and the demand for maize production for food, animal and industrial use is increasing rapidly as populations increased (Broumand et al., 2010; Esfandiary et al., 2011). The polymers can retain water and fertilizers which will be released when necessary (Zhuang et al., 2007).

The water-saving absorbent polymer is a new kind of high molecular polymer that was first introduced by United States Department of Agriculture in 1969 (Harper et al., 1972). SAP can absorb water, and then swell depen-ding on the water volume absorbed (Zhuang et al., 2007).The serious water deficits and deteriorating environmental quality are threatening agricultural productivity and environ-mental sustainability (Liu et al., 2001). So, there is an increasing need to reduce the uses of inorganic fertilizers along with water-saving superabsorbent polymer (SAP) for field crop (such as corn) production.

Water and fertilizers are the most important factors of plant growth, which greatly influence the crop yield and quality. The polymers can retain water and fertilizers, which will be released when necessary (Zhuang et al., 2007). Some studies have shown that applying SAP in production had a positive effect on plant physiology, such as relative chlorophyll content, photosynthetic indexes, and improved the crop yield and quality (Khadem et al., 2010). SAP can absorb water, and then swell depending on the water volume absorbed (Zhuang et al., 2007). SAP has an ability to enhance seed germination, promote the emerging and survival rate of seedlings, allevi-ate water stress damage to plants, reduce the irrigation requirement of plants, and improve the crop yield and quality. The aim of this paper is to determine the influence of super polymer absorbent on yield and yield components of corn in semi-arid region of Iran.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The field experiments were conduc-ted at Isfahan Agriculture Research Station (Latitude 32^o30^/ N, longitude 51^o49^/ E, and 1541 m elevation), during growing season in 2016 and 2017. The soil of 36 pots used in this experiment was collected from a corn field of experi-mental station. The pots were 30 cm diameter and 100 cm height. Because of soil richness in P and K, for providing N element, N fertilizer was applied in two split (half of it was used before sowing and half of it was used one week before anthesis stage). All SAP was applied as base fertilizer. The four granules of seeds were sown into each pot and thinned out to one plant per stand. A complete randomized design with four replications was used to analysis the data. Treatments with super absorbent polymer were 0 kg/ha (S1), 15 kg/ha (S2), 30 kg/ha (S3), and treatments with fertilizers were 50% (F1), 75% (F2), 100% (F3), which could be combined into nine pots. All of samples were over dried for the determi-nation of grain weight, above-ground biomass, spike weight and 100 seeds weight of summer corn, which were carried out after harvest. The grains were oven dried at 70℃ for 48 hrs. The aboveground parts were oven dried at 105℃ for 1 hour, and then were oven dried at 70℃ for 48 hrs. An analysis of variance was performed using the Statistical Analysis System 2009 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA) software. Treatment means were compared using the Fisher’s protected least significant differences (LSD) at the 5% level of probability.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The influence of super absorbent polymer was significant on spike weight in 2017, above-ground biomass in 2016, 100 seed weight in 2016, and grain yield in 2017. There was no meaningful influence of super absorbent polymer on spike weight in 2016, above-ground biomass in 2017, 100 seed weight in 2017 and grain yield in 2016. Fertilizer treatments had significant influence on spike weight, above-ground biomass, 100 seed weight, and grain yield in both 2016 and 2017 (Table 1).

The highest spike weight in 2016 was related to application of 30 kg/ha SAP (159.01 g), which had no meaningful differences with others. The highest value for spike weight in 2017 was related to S3 (30 kg/ha), followed by S2 and S1. All differences between treatments were meaningful. The highest above-ground biomass in 2016 and 2017 was related to S3. In 2016, the maximum above ground biomass was obtained for S3, which was 450.28 g, which had meaningful differences with the minimum one S1 (421.96 g). In 2017, although the highest above ground biomass was related to S3 (348.81 g), it had no significant differences with other treatments. In both 2016 and 2017, the highest 100 seed weight was achieved in S3 and the values were 39.42 g, and 32.96 g, respectively. In 2016, there was a significant difference in 100 seed weight between S1 and other treatments, but in 2017, no meaningful differences were found between treatments. In 2016, the highest grain yield was achieved in S3 (155.2 g), followed by S2 (152.64 g), and S1 (150.25 g). There were no meaningful differences between treatments. In 2017, the higher value of grain yield was related to S3 (118.94 g), followed by S2 (114.12 g), and S1 (108.10 g). Although, there was no significant difference in grain yield between S1 and S2, but both of treatments had meaningful differences with S3. In both 2016 and 2017, the maximum spike weight was obtained for F3, which was 164.63 g, and 171.35 g, respectively. In 2016, all differences were meaningful, but in the next year of experiment, there was just a meaningful difference between F1 and F3. The maximum above-ground biomass in 2016 and 2017 was related to F3, which was 462.44 g, and 362.91 g, respectively. The minimum was also related to F1. In 2016, all differences between treatments were meaningful, while in 2017, there was just significant difference between F3 and F1. In 2016, the maximum and the minimum 100 seed weight were 39.96 g, and 28.27 g, respectively. Although, F1 had meaningful differences with F2 and F3, no significant difference was found between F2 and F3. In 2017, the higher value of 100 seed weight was related to F3 (34.22 g), followed by F2 (32.10 g), and F1 (28.27 g), respectively. Although, there was no significant difference on 100 seed weight between F2 and F1, both of them had meaningful differences with F3. The higher value of grain yield was related to F3 in both 2016 and 2017, and the values were 161.69 g and 127.47 g, respectively. The minimum grain yield in both years of experiment was obtained for F1. In 2016, all differences between treatments, namely F1, F2 and F3, were significant, while in 2017, there was significant difference in grain yield between F3 and F1. There were no meaningful differences between F2 and other treatments in 2017. The interaction between SAP and fertili-zers had significant effect on above ground biomass in 2017 (Table 1).

Table 1
Mean comparison for spike weight (g), one hundred seed weight (g), above-ground biomass (g), and grain yield (g) of corn in 2016 and 2017

Common letters within each column do not differ significantly (p< 0.05). Treatments with super absorbent polymer were 0 kg/ha (S1), 15 kg/ha (S2), 30 kg/ha (S3), and treatments with fertilizers were 50% (F1), 75% (F2), 100% (F3).

CONCLUSION

Excessive application of chemical fertilizers in Iran is one of the main factor responsible for low farmland fertilizer efficiency and deteriorative environmental sustain-ability.

Super absorbent polymers have been used as water-retaining materials in agricultural and horticultural field because when they incorporate with soil, they can retain large quantities of water and nutrients, which are released slowly as required by the plant to improve growth under limited water supply.

In both years, the highest spike weight, above ground biomass, one hundred seed weight and grain yield was related to S3 (30 kg/ha), followed by S2 (15 kg/ha) and S1 (0 kg/ha), respectively; 100% application of fertilizer (F3) had obtained the maximum spike weight, above ground biomass, 100 seed weight and grain in both 2016 and 2017.

Our data have shown that the applied SAP had a remarkable effect on corn growth and yield under different fertilization treatments, and its application of 30 kg/ha gave the best corn production index. Super absorbent polymers has the ability to absorb and retain nutrients dissolved in water by osmotic pressure, it was characterized with hydrophilic groups at the surface and in the interior which absorb nutrients by hydrogen bonds.

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