The adaptability of maize (Zea Mays l.) to drought tolerance by using Salicylic Acid (SA) foliar application under the middle area conditions of Iraq

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A field experiment is carried out in private farm of Silty loam textured soil, in Al-Latifiya, district southern Baghdad, Iraq during the spring season of 2018. The objective is to study Maize’s adaptability (Zea mays L.) plants to drought using water stress and Salicylic acid foliar application by determining some growth traits. A split-split plots system is used within Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The main plots include three irrigation treatments (IQ); 100% (full irrigation), 80% and 60% available water. The subplots involve four Salicylic acids (SA) concentrations; 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg.L-1. The results were as follows: The Salicylic acid (SA) has shown a clear significant effect in all characteristics. The (300 mg.L-1) concentration of SA gives the highest rates of growth traits. Similarly, the irrigation treatments have shown a clear significant effect on all traits. The full irrigation treatment gave highest rates on growth characteristics; leaf area (LA), leaf area index (LAI), plant’s height (PLH), number of leaves per plant (LN). Therefore, this study suggests the possibility of making Maise plants (Zea mays L.) more adaptable to drought tolerance using water stress and Salicylic acid foliar application. Such tolerance leads to reduce plant water requirement without significant effects on growth and yield characteristics as well.