Improving Performance of Maize Plants Grown under Deficit Water Stress

Abstract

In Egypt, we are under the water poverty limit. Therefore, practical solutions must be undertaken to confront the water scarcity, which hinders agricultural development in Egypt. For this purpose, two field trials were performed to assess different irrigation intervals as main plots (irrigation every 8, 10 and 12 days), soil conditioners as subplots [ without (control), biochar and compost] and foliar application of ascorbic acid at different rates (0.0, 5.0 and 10.0 mM) as sub-sub plots on maize plant performance and yield. Findings showed that deficit irrigation (irrigation every 10 and 12 days) caused a significant decline compared to irrigation every 8 days. Both soil conditioners improved plant performance and increased yield and quality of maize compared to plants grown without soil conditioners, but compost was more effective than biochar as a soil amendment in this regard. Also, the external application of ascorbic acid possessed a vital role in hindering the hazard effect of drought treatments, where plant performance and its yield increased as the rate of ascorbic acid increased. On the other hand, drought treatments led to raise antioxidants production in plant leaves at the period of 40 days from sowing to hinder the hazard effect of ROS, which were produced due to water deficit stress, while soil conditioners and foliar applications led to a decline of the maize plant's selfproduction from antioxidants.On the contrary, plants grown without studied substances cannot continue producing antioxidants under drought treatments in the advanced stage of growth (70 days from sowing).

The Co-Addition of Soil Organic Amendments and Natural Bio-Stimulants Improves the Production and Defenses of the Wheat Plant Grown under the Dual stress of Salinity and Alkalinity

“…The combined influences of organic amendments and stimulants materials were done by combining four organic treatments [control(without soil addition), vermicompost (at rate of 1.0 Mg fed -1 ), compost (at rate of 10.0 Mg fed -1 ) and chicken manure (10.0 Mg fed -1 )] and five foliar applications of stimulants [ control (without), moringa, licorice and ginger (2.0%) and humate potassium (2.5 g L -1 )] at the volume of 870 L ha -1 for all them. Thestudied rates of the treatments (main and sub-main) were almost the same as the one used by Yasmeen, (2011); Othman, (2021); Ghazi, (2020); Ghazi and El-Sherpiny (2021); Doklega and Imryed, (2020) Elrys et al (2020).…”

A biochar and Fulvic Acid Usage-Based Approach to Reduce Pollution Resulting from the use of Mineral Fertilizers

“…NPK4 and NPK4 + B2 treatments were gave the highest values of available K, where values of available K were 216.79 and 214.88 mgkg -1 , respectively. These results can be attributed to biochar characteristics as high specific surface and CEC led to rising the capacity of sandy soils to preserve elements and it can overtake the role of sorption complex and exchange cations with soil solution [22]. Biochar helps to composition of soil aggregates, which are conducive to Preserving both water and nutrients from loss and making them available to plants [23].…”

“…A significant increase in the nitrogen of wheat grains was observed by integrated application of N, P and K fertilizers [25, 26, 27 and 28]. Biochar has many properties that have a beneficial effect, such as its high porosity, which makes it have a high ability to retain water, and its high cation exchange capacity, which makes it have the ability to retain nutrients and thus not be lost from the soil [22]. The grain yield recorded maximum values (5 Mg ha -1 ) under combined application of maximum NPK fertilizer level, 30 Mg ha -1 of biochar and fulvic acid while applying the minimum NPK fertilization level (level 1) without any applications of biochar or fulvic acid resulted in the lowest values (2.94 Mg ha -1 ).…”

Effects of Mineral Fertilization, Biochar and Fulvic Acid on Sandy Soil Properties and Nutrients Uptake by Wheat Plants

“…These increments were optimized by applying biochar conditioner, which reduced the losses of nutrients and improved soil properties. The beneficial effects of biochar are determined primarily by some of its properties: high porosity, responsible for its high water retention capacity; high cation exchange capacity, which favors the retention of nutrients and prevent their loss (Ghazi and El-Sherpiny, 2021).…”