Effect of micronutrients application methods on concentration of elements in leaf and kernel of Zea mays L. cv. Jeta

To evaluate the effect of different micronutrients application methods on concentration of elements in leaf and kernel of Zea mays L. cv. Jeta, an experiment was conducted as a randomized complete block design based factorial with three replications in Tabriz in 2008. Factors consisted of micronutrients (ZnSO4, MnSO4, H3BO3, FeSO4 and complete fertilizer) and three methods of micronutrients application (soil application, seed coating and foliar application) and no micronutrient was used in the control traetment. The results showed that the effect of different fertilizers and methods of their applications was significant on the yield at 1% of probability level. The highest yield (200.5 g per plan) was obtained by foliar application of ZnSO4 with 59 and 109.96 percent increase compared to foliar application of complete fertilizer and control treatments, respectively. Seed coating by H3BO3 prevented ear production. The results also showed that the effect of different micro fertilizers and different application methods was significant on concentration of nutrient elements in kernels and leaves at 1% of probability level. In foliar application of fertilizers mixture, H3BO3 amount reached to 63.5 and 13.91 mg in leaves and kernels, respectively, with an increase of 3.23 and 74.96 % compared to the control. Foliar application by FeSO4 increased it's concentration up to 157.7 and 5.5 percent in the leaves and kernels, respectively. Foliar application by complete fertilizer on leaves and fertilizers mixture in kernel resulted in 154.54 and 24.25 percent Mn concentration increase in corn leaves and kernels, respectively. Foliar application of ZnSO4 was also effective so that it caused of 201.95 and 149.59 percent increase in this element concentration in leaves and kernels compared to the control, respectively. It could be concluded that easy access to micro elements and their optimum application could increase their concentration in corn kernels leading to providing them in human body.