The ameliorative effect of saline or / sodic water on maize (Zea mays L.)production

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted in green house to evaluate the performance of two maize genotypes using saline or / sodic water with and with out amendments. There were eight treatments T1 (control with EC 1.07 dS m-1, SAR 1.63, and RSC 0 me L-1), T2 (EC 2.4 dS m-1, SAR 16 (mmol L-1)1/2, and RSC 2.25 meL-1 ), T3 (EC 3.6 dS m-1, SAR 24 (mmol L-1)1/2, and RSC 4.5 meL-1), T4 (T2+ Gypsum on irrigation water basis), T5 (T3+ Gypsum on irrigation water basis),T6 (T1+ FYM @ 20 Mg ha-1),T7 (T2+FYM @ 20 Mg ha-1),T8 (T3+ FYM @ 20 Mg ha-1) . Saline or/ sodic water were prepared with the help of quadratic equation and recommended doses of NPK fertilizers were used. Chlorophyll content was recorded after 40 days of sowing and fully expanded younger leaf were collected and stored in separate polypropylene tubes for sap extraction. The experimental results showed that chlorophyll content, Leaf area plant-1, plant height, fresh weight of plant, dry weight of plant of all genotypes decreased significantly with increasing levels of saline or /sodic water but this decrease was minimum when gypsum and FYM was applied. Na+ concentration of all genotypes increased significantly and decreased with gypsum and FYM application. Potassium and K+: Na+ ratio of all genotypes decreased significantly with increasing levels of saline or / sodic water but increased when gypsum and FYM was applied. ECe, SAR and pHs in soils after harvesting of crop increased also significantly. The application of FYM and gypsum proved to much helpful in improving soil quality and crop productivity.