Author(s):

Rajasekar M, Prabhakaran NK and Thiyagarajan

Abstract: The field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Bhavanisagar, Tamil Nadu, India during rabi 2017 and 2018 to study the influence of moisture stress management practices on plant growth and yield of maize. Study revealed that irrigation scheduling at IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 produced significantly higher crop growth rate (3.09 g m^-2 day^-1), dry matter production (17315 kg ha^-1) and yield (7188 kg ha^-1) and was comparable with IW/CPE ratio of 0.8. Among the foliar application of treatments PPFM 1% recorded significantly higher crop growth rate (3.03 g m^-2 day^-1), dry matter production (16736 kg ha^-1) and yield (6847 kg ha^-1) followed by silicic acid 0.2%. Higher water use efficiency was recorded in IW/CPE ratio of 0.6 (19.41 kg ha^-1 mm^-1). Foliar application of PPFM 1% recorded significantly higher water use efficiency (18.63 kg ha^-1 mm^-1). Under water deficit irrigation IW/CPE ratio of 0.6 with foliar application of PPFM 1% produced higher yield (6842 kg ha^-1) which was comparable with that of normal irrigation of IW/CPE ratio of 0.8. Results from the study indicated there is no superiority in IW/CPE ratio of 1.0 over 0.8 hence, under normal water availability situation, irrigating at IW/CPE ratio of 0.8 is good enough to produce higher yield while under water scarcity condition IW/CPE ratio of 0.6 with foliar application of PPFM 1% is suitable for obtaining optimum yield and higher water use efficiency.

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