Effect of Foliar Application of Micro Nutrients on Quantitative and Qualitative Characteristics of 704 Silage Corn in Khoy

To assess the effects of microelements on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of 704 silage corn, an experiment was conducted in Khoy Agricultural Research Farm during 2003 and 2004. The experiment was arranged in split plot based on complete randomize block designe. Three foliar application stages T1: stem formation, T2: tasseling and T3: stem formation + tasseling, were considered as the main plots, and eight fertilizer application types, F1: no feritilizer, F2: iron, F3: zinc, F4: manganese, F5: iron + zinc, F6: iron + manganese, F7: zinc + manganese and F8: iron + zinc + manganese, as subplots. The results of mean comparison of different agronomic traits indicated that the highest dry and fresh matter yields, 58.60 and 18.34 tha-1, respectively were obtained from T3 treatments. Fertilizer spraying time affected some agronomic traits such as plant height, stem diameter, leaf number, stem dry weight, ear dry weight, protein and ash percentages. F8 treatment produced the highest dry and fresh matters, 20.18 and 65.86 tha-1, respectively. Fertilizer type had significant effects on all agronomic traits except on leaf number. Based on the btained results, foliar application of Fe, Zn and Mn at stem formation and tasseting stages can be recommended for increasing yield and improving qualitative features of 704 silage corn n Khoy region.