THE EFFICIENCY OF USING SALICYLIC ACID, GIBBERELLIC ACID AND SILICON, ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF THE MAIZE PLANT (ZEA MAIZE L.) UNDER SALT- AFFECTED SOIL CONDITIONS .

Abstract

Soil salinity is one of the important factors affecting new reclaimed Sahl El-Tina soil at North Sinai. To face this problem, two field experiments were carried out during the two summer growing seasons of 2011 and 2012 to investigate the effect of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) (50 – 100 mg L-1), Gibberllic acid (GA3) (100 – 200 mg L-1) and potassium silicate (Si) (50 – 100 mg L-1) on the straw, grain yields and the mineral contents of maize (Zea maize L. CV. single hybrid 10) grown in a salt affected soil. Plants were sprayed by the each of the three afore materials at 30, 45 and 60 days from sowing. It was found that the application of the three materials increased both the straw and grain yields significantly. Na+ concentration in leaves and grains was inhibited while N, Mg, Fe, Mn and Cu were stimulated. The chlorophyll pigmented (a and b) and carotenoid contents were significantly increased due to application of SA, Si and GA3. These results suggested that SA, GA3 and Si can be used as potential growth regulators to improve salinity stress resistance.