Evaluation of yield and some agronomic characteristics of commercial maize hybrids under water deficit conditions in Kermanshah

To investigate the tolerance of water deficit stress and increasing water productivity in maize hybrids, eight maize hybrids (KSC704, KSC705, KSC703, KSC700, KSC647, KSC670, KSC500 and KSC400) were studied in three separate experiments each under an irrigation condition based on randomized complete block design with three replications at West-Islamabad Agricultural Research Station, Kermanshah province, Iran, in 2013 and 2014. The irrigation water content in the first experiment was considered as 100% of maize water supply under the Islamabad station conditions and 85% and 70% in the second and third experiments, respectively. The results of analysis of variance showed that the effect of year and hybrid for days to physiological maturity and grain yield was significant at 5% probability level. The highest number of row per ear, grain per row and grain length were belonged to KSC500, KSC705 and KSC700 hybrids, with an average of 18.1 rows, 36.9 grains and 12.8 mm, respectively, under 100% of water supply. The highest and lowest grain yield was 12.3 and 8.6 ton.ha-1 under 100% and 70% of water supply, respectively. The results showed that maize grain yield under optimal conditions increased by 112.84% and 143.02% compared to 85% and 70% of plant water supply, respectively. Hybrids showed a statistically significant difference for most studied traits. Totally, the results of this research indicated that cultivation of maize can not be recommended in term of 70% of plant water supply, but with proper and efficient management and providing 85% of the plant water supply in the climatic conditions of the temperate regions of Kermanshah, the suitable grain yield can be produced. In this experiment, the best hybrids were KSC500, KSC647, KSC700 and KSC705, which are suggested along with the control cultivar (KSC704) for cultivation in the Kermanshah region.