Evaluation of changes in nitrogen, zinc, potassium sources and their combined application on some growth factors and physiological traits flavonoid , phenolic compounds and Anthocyanin of maize (Zea mays L.) cultivar single cross 704

Corn is one of the valuable agricultural plants whose diversity, adaptability and high nutritional value have placed it among the most important agricultural plants in the world. Foliar spraying of nitrogen, zinc and potassium fertilizers on corn plants can provide farmers and researchers with very good information about the effect of nitrogen, zinc and potassium fertilizer consumption in the climatic conditions of Golestan province.

Considering the medicinal effects of corn cob and its importance in medicine and the presence of special effective substances in this connection in corn silk, it seems that their quantity and quality are affected by the use of nitrogen, zinc, and potassium. Therefore, examining these changes is one of the practical goals of this research.

In order to evaluate the changes resulted from nitrogen, zinc, potassium and their simultaneous application were done on some morphophysiological traits of single cross 704 hybrid maize as a randomized complete block design with four replications in spring and summer of 2019 in Golestan province, the Katoul farm. Treatments included nitrogen(N), potassium(P), zinc(Z) fertilizer and combined application of nitrogen+potassium(NP), nitrogen+zinc(NZ), potassium+zinc(PZ) and their combined application of nitrogen+potassium+zinc(NPZ) with control. The results showed the traits were affected by fertilizer sources significantly (p≤ 0.01).

The studied treatments had a significant effect on the traits of height to the first corn, number of rows, ear length and ear diameter at the time of full ripening at the probability level of (p≤ 0.01). With the application of zinc, nitrogen and potassium elements, a significant increase in the content of phenolic compounds of leaves, silk and corn seeds was observed. The flavonoids of leaves, silk and seeds were influenced by the supply of nitrogen (N), zinc (Zn), potassium (K) fertilizers and their simultaneous application. Leaf anthocyanin in foliar spraying treatments with single potassium fertilizer, due to creating optimal conditions, most of the current energy of the plant was spent in the direction of growth, development and increasing the yield of treated plants, so the biosynthesis and production of anthocyanin in corn leaves with single application of potassium was less, but silk anthocyanin And the seed with single application of potassium and simultaneous application of potassium+nitrogen, potassium+zinc, potassium+nitrogen+zinc showed a significant increase compared to the control.

according to the obtained results, the simultaneous application of fertilizers is recommended to increase the morpho-physiological traits and yield of plants.