Effect of foliar application with some treatments to avoid stress environments on spring planting of maize (Zeamayze L.)

Field experiment was conducted in spring season of 2014 in Abu Gharaq , (8 km northeast of Hilla , within longitude 32.3 latitude and 44.2 east longitude) in silt-clay loam soil to study the effect of spraying two levels of high-potash fertilizer (control and spraying one time at the beginning of flowering) , three levels of urea spraying (control, one time at silk stage and two times at the silk stage and grain filling stage) and two levels of salicylic acid (control and spraying at 10 leaves stage). Randomized complete block design with three replications was used. The experimental unit consisted of four ridges 4 m long and 0.75 m width seeded with Al-Furat hybrid maize. In hills 25 cm apart. The results showed that spraying high-potash fertilizer caused a significant increases in plant ear number , rows no. , number of rows per ear , row grain no. , 500 grain weight and grain yield compared to control, with a percentage increase of 4.8, 4.4, 6.1, 4.1, 0.4%, respectively . Spraying urea also led to significant increases in plant ear no. and grain yield, with a percentage increase of 11.7 and 4.9% and 6.1 and 5.4% at spraying one time and two time respectively compared to control. Spraying urea twice time led to significant increases in ear weight (about 6.9%) and 500 grain weight compared to control. Spray salicylic acid led to a significant increase in row grain no. only. The interactions had a significant effect on most of the traits.