Vol. 12, Issue 8 (2023)

Author(s):
G Sathyan, R Karthikeyan, K Thirukumaran, R Sivakumar and KM Sellamuthu

Abstract:
A research study was carried out during summer season (2023) at the Research farm of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to study the impact of waterlogging stress on growth and yield of hybrid maize (Zea mays L.). The treatments comprised of two factors viz., waterlogging at three levels, waterlogging for three days (M1), waterlogging for five days (M2) and waterlogging for seven days (M3) and stages of waterlogging, germination stage (S1), third leaf stage (S2), sixth leaf stage (S3) and tasseling stage (S4). Control plot was maintained separately with conventional practices. The growth parameters such as plant height, Dry Matter Production (DMP) and leaf area index (LAI) at all stages of crops were significantly influenced by waterlogging stress. It is also observed that significant decrement in the yield attributes such cob length (cm), cob weight (g), number of grains per cob, 100 grain weight, shelling percentage (%), grain yield (Kg/ha) and stover yield (Kg/ha) during waterlogging conditions at third leaf stage (S2) and sixth leaf stage (S3) when compared over the recommended practice. Research study had concluded that TNAU maize hybrid CO 6 was found to be susceptible to physiological stress at earlier stages of waterlogging conditions. The yield reduction was found to be higher at waterlogging for 7 days during germination (42%) and three leaf stage (32%) when compared with the recommended conventional practice.