Effects of different rhizosphere ventilation treatment on water and nutrients absorption of maize

Abstract

The objective of this study was to explore the effects of different rhizosphere ventilation treatment on water and 
nutrients absorption of maize. The pot experiment was conducted using three methods: no ventilation, two day 
ventilation and four day ventilation, under conditions of the different levels of irrigation methods. As such, the 
influence of rhizosphere ventilation treatment on the physiological, water and nutrient absorption of maize was 
studied. Results showed that, with the increase in ventilation frequency, plant height, leaf area and the content of 
chlorophyll in maize increased to a certain degree. Root activity of once in every four days ventilation was the biggest 
(8.237 mg/ (g·h)), followed by that of once in every two days ventilation (6.171 mg/ (g·h)), and that of no ventilation was 
the least (4.940 mg/ (g·h)). Consequently, it increased by 66.7 and 29.9%, respectively. The chlorophyll content 
experimental results showed that, rhizosphere ventilation treatment does not affect transpiration of potted maize and 
has no significant difference on the irrigation water utilization rate.