The Effect of Drought Stress and Biological Fertilizer on Yield and Yield Components of Maize

In order to investigate the effect of biological fertilizers (Azetobarvar-1 and Phosphate Barvar-2) on yield and yield components of corn (S.C. 704) under low irrigation conditions in second cropping, a split plot experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications during 2016-2017. The main plots consisted of irrigation interruption at 8 leaf stage, emergence of male inflorescence and normal irrigation as control. Fertilizer treatments were considered as subplots including Azetobacter-1, Phosphate Barvar-2 and the combination of Azetobarvar-1 and Phosphate Barvar-2. The results showed that irrigation and fertilizer treatments had significant effect on corn height, stem diameter, ear diameter and ear length, number of rows per ear, number of seeds per row, 1000 seed weight, biological yield, grain yield and harvest index. Most of the studied traits were declined due to irrigation interruption, but the impact of irrigation interruption at emergence of male inflorescence stage was more pronounced on 1000 seed weight, seed number per row, grain yield and harvest index. the combined use of Azetobarvar-1 and Phosphate Barvar-2 enhanced the plant height, number of seeds per row, biological yield and grain yield of corn by about 10.7, 31.2, 10.6 and 33.7 percent compared to the use of Azetobarvar-1 and 18.7, 3 / 17, 16.5 and 11%, respectively, in comparison with Phosphate Barvar-2 under irrigation interruption at the emergence of male inflorescence stage.