Enhanced fodder yield of maize genotypes under saline irrigation as a function of their increased K accumulation and better K/Na ratio

Abstract

Poor quality irrigation water adversely affects the growth and yield of crops. This study was designed to 
evaluate the growth, fodder yield and ionic concentration of three promising maize (ZEA MAYS L.) genotypes 
under the influence of varying quality irrigation water, with different salinity levels. The genotypes, such as EV
1097, Kisan and Akbar were irrigated with usable (electrical conductivity, EC 1.5 dS m-1 ), marginal (EC 3.0 dS 
m-1 ), poor (EC 4.5 dS m-1 ) and very poor (EC 7.0 dS m-1 ) quality irrigation water. The increasing adverse effects 
on various growth and yield variables of all three genotypes were observed with the increasing water salinity. 
Also, soil EC, SAR and ESP values increased linearly with increasing salinity levels of irrigation water. Poor 
quality irrigation water affected all the growth variables and yield of maize. Increasing concentrations of 
sodium and chloride ions, coupled with decreasing concentration of potassium, in flag leaf of maize was 
observed in response to increasing salinity of irrigation water. The genotypic variation among the three maize 
genotypes to saline water irrigation was in order of EV-1097 > Kisan > Akbar. The better fresh fodder yield of 
maize genotypes under poor quality irrigation water was a function of their enhanced accumulation of 
potassium (K) and better K/Na ratio. The study concluded that, the genotype EV-1097 is a better choice for the 
maize growers under saline water irrigation condition.