Document Type : Research Paper
Abstract
Four water qualities of different EC used in this study. Two of them were natural from Zab river and Hassarok well, have (0.48 and 9.3) dS.m-1 respectively, from Hasarok village/ Makhmur/ Erbil-Iraq. The others were mixtures (mixed-1 and mixed-2) prepared from Zab river and Hasarok well, have (1.1 and 5.8) dS.m-1 respectively to study its effect on germination and early growth stage up to blooming stage of (Zea mays L.) synthetic/106 variety. For this purpose, a pot experimental conducted during autumn season 2008, for growth period 77 days. Silty clay loam soil from Hasarok village placed in the pots, and then the seeds sown. The pots irrigated when the moisture content depleted to 75% of the available water on weight basis. Randomize complete block design (RCBD) used for analyzing the results. The results showed high deterioration in most studied parameters of growth. Increasing in the salinity of the irrigated water causes high reduction in the germination percent from 94.5 % to 20 % and dry matter from 100 % to 40.09 %. While using water of EC value (1.1) dS.m-1 stimulated the growth and other studied parameters comparing with Zab water. The shoot/root ratio reduced from 0.88 to 0.52 with increasing water salinity from (0.48) dS.m-1 to (9.3) dS.m-1, and the total concentration of salts in plants increased from (82.2) dS.m-1 to (225.1) dS.m-1. These results showed capability of using water of EC (1.1) dS.m-1 in irrigating Zea mays, with taking into conside- ration that the leaching requirement will not causes damages to plants under studied conditions.
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