Effect of mycorrhiza application on corn hybrids tolerance to drought stress

This study aimed to evaluate corn hybrids under drought stress reaction to application of mycorrhiza as split factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design during 2015 and 2016 at Research Station of Faculty of Agriculture, Islamic Azad University, Tabriz Branch, Iran. The main factor included drought stress based on evaporation from class A pan at two levels of 70 millimeters as control and 140 millimeters as drought stress. The sub factor was 14 factorial combinations of mycorrhiza fungi application and non-application with seven corn hybrid including SC260, SC301, SC400, SC4015, SC703, SC704, and SC705. To evaluate tolerance and sensitivity of corn hybrids to drought stress, the stress tolerance index, stress sensitivity index, tolerance index, mean productivity and the geometric mean of the product were used. Two-year complex analysis showed that in most of the studied traits, the interaction of year and stress was significant in corn hybrids. Seed yield in two years was increased more with mycorrhiza application in hybrid SC301 than other hybrids considered as the most tolerant corn hybrid to drought stress. Indices of stress tolerance index and geometric mean productivity had positive and significant correlation with grain yield in both years. Also, mycorrhiza application had a different effect on mitigating of drought stress effects, but in general it increased maize yield under drought stress conditions.