IMPROVEMENT OF WATER-STRESSED MAIZE GROWTH AND YIELD BY PARTITIONING OF PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER

Abstract

Field experiment was Conducted in silty loam Soil in Allatifiyan research station – Iraqi atomic energy Assembly . during the spring and autumn growing seasons in 2005 . to study the effect of Using three Maize geno types ; Rabeea . Rabeea 1 . and IPA 5012 . with six plant densities between rows ; 30.40.50.60.70.80 cm on growth traits and dry matter yield on the base of single plant . The experimental units were distributed in Randomized completely Block Design with three replicates . Rabeea had the longest duration to reach 50% anthesis and Silking . While . Rabeea 1 had the highest plant height . stalk diameter . plant Leaf no. . and dry matter yield in both growing seasons . whereas IPA5012 gave longest rate for all studied traits . Days from planting to 50% anthesis and silking . and plant height increased significantly descreasing space between rows . and Vs. for stalk diameter . plant Leaf no.and dry matter yield . Interaction between genotypes and plant densities were Significat for plant height and days of 50% anthesis in both seasons . It is also significant for plant teanses no. and dry matter yield in spring season . and days of 50% silking in Autumn seasen . Rabeea in 70 cm gave the highest rate of leaves no. and dry matter yield of 14.46 and 105.87 gm / plant . It was canculuded that Rabeea 1 was the most efficient to use its physiological and genetic . Potentiality under this pattern of distribution as it gave highest average of most studied traits . especially . with 70 cm between rows.