LEAF AREA, PROLINE AND RELATIVE WATER CONTENT IN THE LEAVES OF MAIZE PLANT UNDER THE EFFECT OF SOIL BACTERIA, ORGANIC MATTER AND WATER STRESS

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of soil bacteria, soil organic matter and water stress on corn (Zea mays L.) growth and development as indicated by leaf area, Proline content, in cell sap, and relative water content in the leaves. The experiment was carried out in agricultural research station of Agricultural research directorate, Ministry of Sciences and Technology during the fall of 2018. The studied factors were randomly distributed in a factorial experiment in of Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three Replicates. First factor was added with/without bacterial inoculate, second factor (Organic matter) was added at three levels viz. 0, 1.5 and 3% of the soil weight, and the third factor (Irrigation) at the water depletion of 50, 60 and 70% of available water. Results showed that both treatments of bacterial inoculation and the addition of organic matter at 3% level showed the highest significant values for the objective studied above at the rate of 5305 and 5438 cm2 plant-1 and 79.06 and 80.95% and 56.17 and 59.84 µmol g-1 respectively. Relative water content and leaf area were reduced by 68.75% and 4194 cm2 plant-1, under water stress respectively. Proline concentration in the leaves, was increased by 56.56 µmol g-1 with the same increase of water stress The interference was significant between bacterial inoculate treatments and the 3.0% level of organic matter addition in reducing the effects of water stress on relative water content, leaf area and increasing the proline content in the plant leaves. as it gave a significant difference from the other factors of interference at a rate of 86.35% and 6060 cm2 plant-1 on succession and under water depletion 50%, these values did not differ significantly with the treatment of interference and for the same study factors and under 60% water depletion, which gave an average of 85.81% and 5983 cm2 plant-1 respectively. The treatment of bacterial inoculation and organic fertilization at the level of 3% and below the level of water depletion 70 and 60% of the available water resulted in recording the highest proline content in the leaves of the plants amounted to 74.12 and 64.22 µmol gm-1, respectively. Keywords