Behavior of Growth and Yield of Some Maize Cultivars (Zea mays L.) Effected by Humic Acid Extract Spraying

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out during the spring and autumn seasons of 2019 at Al-Hamdeah Research Station of the College of Agriculture - University of Anbar to study behavior of growth and yield of some maize cultivars effected by humic acid extract spraying using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in the arrangement of split plot with three replicates. the main plots included spraying four concentrations of humic acid 0 (distilled water), 250,500,750 mg L-1 while the sub plots included three varieties of maize Maha, Sarah, Baghdad 3. The results of the statistical analysis showed that the variety Sarah was significantly superior in most of the growth characteristics and yield and for the spring and autumn seasons, such as height the upper ear, number of leaves, leaf area, the content of chlorophyll in the leaves, number of ears, number of rows per ear, number of grains per ear, weight of 300 grain, grain yield, biologecal yield and grain oil content averages (114.19, 115.89 cm and 14.64, 15.91leaf plant-1 and 6602, 6689 cm2 and 49.44, 50.36 mg L-1 and 1.79, 2.19 ear plant-1 and 17.34, 18.05 row ear-1 and 371.73, 413.00 grain ear-1 and 72.04, 75.32 g and 6.21, 9.38 t h- and 14.07, 17.60 t h-1 and 3.97, 3.83%, respectively). As for the concentrations, the treatment of 500 mg L-1 was significantly superior in most growth and yield characteristics and for the spring and autumn seasons as number of days to 75% tasselling and silking‚ plant height, leaf area, number of ears, number of grains per ear, weight of 300 grain, grain yield, biologecal yield, grain protein content and grain oil content at rates reached 61.50, 64.32 days, 70.10, 71.11 days, 209.02, 219.51 cm, 6343, 6519 cm2, 1.48, 2.38 ear plant-1, 410.30, 415.60 grain ear-1, 71.94, 73.84 g, 6.27, 9.98 t h-1, 14.10, 17.73 t h-1, 8.91% and 4.00, 3.90%, respectively. b The results of the statistical analysis also demonstrated the significant differences of factors interference of the study workers in most of the studied characteristics, as the treatment treatment for the variety Sarah exceled with a concentration of 500 mg L-1 in both seasons, the highest mean height of ear (118.37,119.52 cm) and leaf area (6789, 6957 cm2) and weight of 300 grain (75.33,76.45 g plant-1) and grain yield (6.83,10.40 t h-1) and the biological yield (14.81,18.34 t h-1) respectively.