The effect of salicylic acid and calcium carbonate on water use efficiency and some physiological characteristics of maize (Zea mays L.) under water deficiency condition in Marvdasht, Fars Province

The effect of salicylic acid and calcium carbonate on water use efficiency and some physiological characteristics of maize (Zea mays L.) under water deficiency condition in Marvdasht, Fars Province Abstract: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of salicylic acid and calcium carbonate application on water use efficiency and some physiological characteristics of maize as Split factorial based on Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications during 2010 and 2011 growing season. The main factor was irrigation levels including three levels (75 mm, 100 mm and 125 mm pan evaporation), from four-leaf stage to the end of growing season and the secondary factors were spraying of four concentration of salicylic acid (control, 1 mM 1.3 mM and 1.7 mM) from the four-leaf stage to the end of growing season and application of four concentration of calcium (control, 1 kg per hectare, 2 kg per hectare and 3 kg per hectare). The studied traits were leaf area index, chlorophyll a and b, proline, grain protein and grain yield. The treatments of Hormone concentration of 1.7 mM and 3 kg per hectare of calcium carbonate at all levels of irrigation caused significant increase in studied traits. Key words: maize, water deficit stress, salicylic acid, calcium carbonate and yield.