ADAPTABILITY OF WHITE MAIZE AND MITIGATION OF WATER STRESS BY ANTITRANSPIRANT

Abstract

Six trials with eight varieties of white maize viz. PSC-121, KS-510, Changnuo-1, Q- Xiangnuo-1, Changnuo-6, Yangnuo-3000, Yangnuo-7 and Yangnuo-30 were carried out at three different sites viz. SAU (Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University); Dhamrai and Rangpur Sadar of Bangladesh during Rabi seasons of 2015-16 and 2016-17 to investigate adaptability and water stress mitigation. In the first year at SAU, significantly higher grain yields were found in five varieties, PSC-121 (8.26 t ha iv -1 ), Q-Xiangnuo-1 (7.17 t ha ), Changnuo-1 (8.62 t ha -1 ), Changnuo-6 (8.52 t ha -1 ) and Yangnuo-30 (8.35 t ha ) but at Dhamrai, the higher yields were produced by PSC-121 (8.59 t ha -1 -1 ), KS-510 (8.81 t ha ), Changnuo-1 (8.24 t ha -1 ) and Changnuo-6 (9.13 t ha -1 ) and at Rangpur by Changnuo-1 (6.65 t ha -1 ) and Q-Xingnuo-1 (6.14 t ha -1 ). In the second year, PSC-121 at SAU, Changnuo-1 both at Dhamrai and Rangpur gave significantly the highest grain yields of 10.31, 8.45 and 12.15 t ha -1 respectively. Changnuo-1 at all the sites, while PSC-121 at SAU was the second best performer. The least seed yields were obtained from Yangnuo7 (3.76 - 6.74 t ha -1 ). Drought imposing trial on six varieties namely PSC-121, Changnuo1,

Changnuo-6, Yungnuo-3000, Yungnuo-7 and Yungnuo-30 was conducted under varying irrigation regimes, viz. no watering from 80 days after sowing (DAS) to harvesting, no watering from 100 DAS to harvesting and control (with irrigation at every day) where grain yield reduced drastically to almost half (3.44 t ha -1 ) when watering was stopped from 80 DAS compared to the control (6.57 t ha -1 ). Changnuo-1 was found to be the most drought tolerant variety, which yielded 5.96 t ha -1 . In the antitranspirant trial, two varieties namely V 1 - PSC-121 and V 2 = Changnuo-1 were tested under four concentrations of Kaolin (C O = 0%, C 1 = 2%, C 2 = 4%, C 3 = 6%). The 6% concentration yielded significantly the highest (8.75 t ha -1 ), which was 16% higher than that of the control (7.38 t ha -1 ). In the interaction treatment, PSC-121 with all the concentrations yielded significantly higher seed yields. PSC-121 with 6% concentration of Kaolin yielded the highest of 9.12 t ha -1 , while 8.21 t ha -1 with the control. The results showed 16% yield increase having 6% Kaolin spray and 8% increase in 2% Kaolin spray. The grain nutritional analyses showed the maximum content of protein in Q-Xiangnuo-1 (9%) fiber in Yangnuo-7 (2.96%) and carbohydrate (75.13%) and AAC (apparent amylose content) (24.41%) Changnuo-1. PSC-121, Changnuo-1, Q-Xiangnuo-1, Yangnuo-3000 and Yangnuo-7 had higher fat contents (~ 4%). The highest Glycemic Index (GI) was obtained in Yangnuo-7 (71.24 %). The Changnuo-1 might be recommended for cultivation for its best performance in all the studied sites and tolerant to the drought stress condition as well as for containing the highest fat, carbohydrate and AAC contents. For higher yield and water conservation in plant, 2% Kaolin might be recommended for spraying at tasseling stage.