Effect of Ascorbic Acid in some Morphological Growth for two Cultivars of Zea mays Under Water Stress

Abstract

A field study was conducted during spring season of 2015 at experimental farm of Field Crop Department, College of Agriculture, Baghdad University in order to study the effect of irrigation and concentrations of ascorbic acid (ASA) in some morphological characteristics for two cultivars of Zea mays L. Split Complete Block Design with three replications the main plots were irrigation treatment, the control treatment (irrigation 50%of the water available),75%, 50% of the amount of control water treatment the subplots were a combination of ASA concentrations (0,100,200 ppm) and two cultivars (fajer,5018). Irrigation treatment 75% of the treatment (control) gave the average root dry weight 39.11 g.plant^-1 and leaf area 4406 cm² leaf area index 3.15 and chlorophyll content 44.23 micog^-1 fresh weight and dry matter to flowering to 50% 127.60 g.plant^-1, no significant differences from irrigation treatment (control) started gave higher average rate of 41.22 g.plant^-1 and 4753 cm² and 3.39 and 135.00 g.plant^-1 respectively, while the irrigation treatment gave 50% of the treatment measurement lowest average for studied measurements. Outweigh the concentration of 200 ppm by increase the average height plant 178.65cm and stem diameter 8.44cm and leaf area 4203 cm² and leaf area index 3.00 and chlorophyll content 45.26 micog^-1 fresh weights and dry matter to flowering to 50% 128.70 g.plant^-1. while 5018 gave the highest plant height, leaf area, leaf area index, chlorophyll content, dry weight matter to flowering to %50 and root dry weight. The interference between irrigation treatments and two cultivars were significant in stem diameter and leaf area with its index, while the interference between irrigation treatments and ascorbic acid was in leaf area and its index. The interference between irrigation treatments with two cultivars were significant in stem diameter, leaf area with its index, while the interference between irrigation treatments and ascorbic acid ASA was in leaf area and its index. Therefore, we recommend possibility treatment of Zea may L. plant with ASA to improve capacity of water stress and recommend possibility of irrigation water by 75% of a need of the full irrigation (50% depletion of available water) without significant effect on same morphological growth.