Role of Salicylic acid in stay green, growth and yield of two purposes maize hybrid

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at Al- Hamidhia Research Fields, Faculty of Agriculture / Al- Anbar University in North Ramadi city to study the levels of salicylic acid 0, 200 and 400 mg. L-1 and fifteen genotypes (5 inbred lines + 10 hybrids) of maize. A randomized complete block design was used in a slit table arrangement; thus, the main treatments are for salicylic spray, and the secondary tables are for genotypes (inbred lines and hybrids). Three replications were made to produce two-purpose hybrids (grain and forage yield) by introducing some inbred lines and maize hybrids grown by the semi-co-breeding program. Results have shown the dominance of hybrid BK104× Zm6 giving the highest product of leaves staying green that reached 222.1g and 8.9 leaves, successively in the spring season. In comparison, the hybrid Inb-27× BK104 has dominated in the fall season, giving yield and leaves stay green as 247.01g and 9.45 leaves successively. The reason for these hybrids dominance returned to their dominance with grains numbered a row, grain weight and dominance of salicylic acid concentration 400 mg.L-1 for both seasons, giving the highest yield as 179.10 and 177.33g and didn't differ significantly from salicylic acid concentration 200 mg.L-1. The interaction treatments were significant for all the traits, except the trait of 300 grains weight for the spring season. So, we recommend using 200 mg.L-1 concentration of salicylic acid and the dominant hybrids in yield for both seasons. Keywords: AS, Inbred lines, Diallel crops, plant growth regulator, grains yield, grain weight.