THE EFFECT OF SALICYLIC ACID AND PHOSPHORUS SPRAYING ON MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) YIELD UNDER CONDITIONS OF INCOMPLETE IRRIGATION.

A field experiment was carried out during the autumn season in 2013 in a farm located in Alhashimiya (20 km south east of Hilla), to study the effect of salicylic acid and phosphorus spraying on yield of maize under conditions of deficit irrigation. Split-split plot arrangement in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications was used, operated irrigation treatments (A0 full irrigation, A1 deficit irrigation) in panels major plots , while concentrations of phosphorus (0, 1000 and 2000 mg.L-1) panels the sub plot and concentrations of salicylic acid (0, 0.5 and 1 mM ) panels the sub-sub plots. Maize grain (cv. Research 106) was seeded in 20- July/2013. The results showed that deficit irrigation led to reduce most of yield components (rows number, grain number, length and diameter of ear) significantly. Salicylic acid and phosphorous spraying led to remove or reduce this negative effect of water stress, in which P at 1000 mg.L-1 was superior in giving the highest rate of most yield components (ear length, rows number and weight of 500 grain). Salicylic acid 1 mM was superior in ear length and grain number.ear-1. The interaction between the factors had a significant effect in most of traits studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]