Effect of Limited Water Supply on Photosynthetic Characteristics of Spring Maize (<i>Zea Mays)</i>

Abstract

A trial was carried out to investigate the effect of limited water supply on leaf area duration (LAD), relative growth rate (RGR), crop growth rate (CGR), and above-ground biomass (AB) of spring maize. The results indicated that the LAD was significantly (p<0.05) increased by 10.6%, 15.4%, 16.9%, 19.3%, 13.4% and 17.0%,12.2%, 19.7%, 18.4%, 20.9% in MI1, MI3, MI4, MI5, CK than MI2 during both 12-leaf stage to heading and heading to silking. There was no significant difference (p>0.05) in RGR among all the treatments and check during 6-leaf to 12-leaf stage and silking to middle grain filling, but significant difference occurred during other measured stages. Also, significant difference was found in CGR among some treatments and check during all the measured growth stages. The maximum AB of maize was maintained in CK with 23.0 t ha-1, significantly improved by 16.2%, 16.2%, 22.3% and 41.1%, 35.3% respectively than in MI1, MI4, MI5 and MI2, MI3, and the minimum AB was recorded in MI2 with 16.3 t ha-1.