Journal of Agricultural Sciences (Jan 2016)
Mineral Nutrient Content of Sweet Corn under Deficit Irrigation
Abstract
The present study was conducted to determine the effects of deficit irrigation I I100: full irrigation;I85: 15% deficit; I70: 30% deficit; I55: 45% deficitand I40: 60% deficit on mineral nutrient contents of fresh sweet corn Zea mays saccharata grain in two vegetation seasons, years of 2011 and 2012, in Isparta ecological conditions. The experiment was set up according to the Randomized Complete-Block Design with three replicates. The species of Lumina F1 was used as the sweet corn cultivar. The results revealed statistically significant effects of water deficit on mineral nutrient contents of fresh sweet corn grain. The highest nitrogen content 2.29% in 2011 and 2.32% in 2012 , the highest phosphorus content 0.332% in 2011 and 0.331% in 2012 , the highest potassium content 0.855% in 2011 and 0.837% in 2012 , the highest calcium content 0.031% in 2011 and 0.029% in 2012 , the highest magnesium content 0.123% in 2011 and 0.132% in 2012 , the highest iron amount 27.27 mg kg-1 in 2011 and 26.12 mg kg-1 in 2012 , the highest copper amount 3.99 mg kg-1 in 2011 and 4.12 mg kg-1 in 2012 and the highest manganese amount 10.92 mg kg-1 in 2011 and 11.68 mg kg-1 in 2012 were obtained from the “I70” irrigation level. The highest zinc amount 34.77 mg kg-1 in 2011 and 30.14 mg kg-1in 2012 and the highest boron amount 5.389 mg kg in 2011 and 5.306 mg kg-1 in 2012 were determined in I85 and I40irrigation levels, respectively. Generally, the mineral nutrient contents were increased with water deficit up to a certain level “I” and he lower irrigation levels I55 and I40 than “I70” resulted in decreased mineral nutrient contents, except for B, of sweet corn in both years
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