Effect of K supply on growth and development of maize (Zea mays L.)
2002
Ashraf, M. | Yousaf, M. | Ahmad, Z.I. | Ullah, A.A. (University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi (Pakistan))
The objective of this study was to quantitatively determine and to separate the effects of potassium deficiency on growth and development of a maize plant. Maize varieties V1 (Sadaf) and V2 (Sultan) were grown in a sand culture. When the coleoptiles leaf was fully expanded, three level of K supply i-e Ko = 8 mM, KM = 4 mM and KZERO - 0 mM were established by varying K concentration in the Long Ashton nutrient solution. The supply of respective nutrient media was maintained from coleoptiles leaf stage through silking. A thermal time in growing degree days (GDD) was calculated to characterize the thermal environment of the corn plants. The leaf area was estimated daily non- destructively as a measure of growth of a maize plant. Number of leaves per plant, irrespective of a leaf size and the number of leaves per plant in Haun scale were used as a measure of development of a plant and were also recorded on daily basis. There was straight-line linear relationship between the number of leaves of V1 and V2 and the thermal time since sowing for each level of K supply. The development rat of V1 and V2 in KZERO level was 10 and 15%, respectively slower than that in K0 level. At leaf stage 11, the leaf area in KZERO was about 46% less than the leaf area in K0; and the leaf area in KM was about 25% less than the leaf area in K0 supply. At the stage of tasseling, the leaf area in KZERO was about 37% less compared to K0 and 26% less than the leaf area in KM. The differences established in the size of leaf area by the differential supply of K at the tasseling stage were maintained at the silking stage.
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