World Applied Sciences Journal 17 (2): 189-193, 2012
ISSN 1818-4952
© IDOSI Publications, 2012
Effect of Every Other Furrow Irrigation and Planting Density on
Physiological Traits in Corn (Zea mays L.)
Masoud Rafiee
Islamic Azad University, Branch Khorramabad, Iran
Abstract: In order to study physiological response of corn (Zea mays L.) to drought stress under usual
methods of surface irrigation, three irrigation methods viz. conventional furrow irrigation (CFI), fixed every other
furrow irrigation (FFI) and alternate every other furrow irrigation (AFI) and different plant densities were
evaluated on antioxidants, photosynthetic pigments and nitrogen components as farm experiment in
Khorramabad, Iran. Result showed that using every other furrow irrigation (FFI and AFI) caused water stress
in corn and decreased photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and chlorophyll a+b) and soluble
protein, but antioxidants (Catalase and peroxidase) and proline activity as biochemical markers for water stress
raised in drought condition. Plant density had no significant effect on these traits.
Key words: Corn
Water stress
Antioxidants
Nitrogen components
INTRODUCTION
Photosynthetic pigments
Understanding the biochemical and molecular
responses to drought is essential for a holistic perception
of plant resistance mechanisms to water-limited
conditions.
Drought stress-induced generation of active oxygen
species is well recognized at the cellular level and is
tightly controlled at both the production and
consumption levels in vivo, through increased
antioxidative systems [6].
Plant peroxidases have been used as biochemical
markers for various types of biotic and abiotic stresses
due to their role in very important physiological
processes, like control of growth by lignification, crosslinking of pectins and structural proteins in cell wall,
atabolism of auxins [7].
The expression of specific catalase isoenzymes is
important and Isoenzyme Profiles of eroxidase, Catalase
and critical against oxidative stress induced by a given
environmental stress [8]. Catalase activities showed an
increase or maintenance in the early phase of drought and
then a decrease with further increase in magnitude of
water stress [9].
Gholizadeh [10] revealed that the total antioxidant
capacity in the leaves of maize inbreds quickly increases
during drought period, while it slowly reverts back to the
normal level during recovery. Differential changes in the
enzymatic antioxidation through redox enzymes Catalase,
Among the environmental stresses, drought stress is
one of the most adverse factors of plant growth and
productivity. More than 70% of total area of Iran is arid
and semi-arid.
Corn is very susceptible to drought damage
due to the plants requirement for water for cell elongation
and its inability to delay vegetative growth [1].
The corn crop requires adequate water in all stages
of its physiological development to attain optimum
productivity. Thus corn production relies severely
on repeated irrigation periods in different arid and
semiarid parts
regions of Iran, such as
khorramabad and growers often have to apply at
least 10 irrigations or more in a dry summer season,
depending on duration of growth season and region
environment.
Shortage of water, on the other hand, is an important
limiting factor in crop production. Using every other
furrow irrigation is an ideal strategy to reduce irrigation
water used.
Every other furrow irrigation may reduce the volume
of water used up to 50 percent and induce a decrease in
growth and yield due to the water stress caused by the
smaller amount of applied irrigation in same irrigation
frequency [2-5].
Corresponding Author: Masoud Rafiee, Islamic Azad University, Branch Khorramabad, Iran.
189
World Appl. Sci. J., 17 (2): 189-193, 2012
Table 1: Meteorological data of Kamalvand field research during the growing season in 2010
Climatic Factor
May
Jun.
Jul.
Aug.
Sep.
Precipitation (mm)
9.3
0
0
0
0
1.1
Mean temperature (°C)
20.3
26.8
31.1
29.7
24
19
Mean max. temp. (°C)
28.9
36.3
40.6
39.1
34.6
28.6
Mean min. temp. (°C)
11.3
15.6
20.2
19.5
12.7
9.9
RH (%)
40
22
20
22
23
28
Peroxidase and Polyphenol oxidase were observed
between both inbreds during drought period. Isoperonoid
compounds may be more responsible antioxidants in
maize drought-challenged antioxidative system [10].
Tolerances to environmental stresses of plants can
be determined by using different parameters. Plants need
to have special mechanisms for adjusting internal osmotic
conditions and changing of osmotic pressure in the root
environment. Knipp and Honermeier [11] Suggested that
the modification of carbohydrates metabolism, especially
the high content of soluble carbohydretes, may affect
water stress-induced proline accumulation. Pinheiro et al
[12] determined that during the water stress, most of the
leaves were lost and the stem functioned as a storage
repository of sugars (glucose and sucrose) and amino
acids (asparagine and proline).
The decrease in chlorophyll a, b, or total chlorophyll
(a+b) under stress conditions is reported by Iqbal et al
[13] and Ashraf et al [14], Moussa [15] and
Ashrafuzzaman et al [5].
Corn has low tolerance to high plant densities [16].
The most proper sowing density in corn is reported
100000 plants ha 1 [17].
This experiment was conducted to determine the
photosynthetic pigments, antioxidants and nitrogen
components response of corn to drought stress.
Oct.
Each sub-plots (33.6 m2) consisted of 6 furrows
with 0.7 m spacing (4.2 m width) and 8 m long.
There were 3 and 1m distance as a border line
between the main-plots and sub-plots, respectively.
The crop was sown at a 5-6cm depth with 3 seeds per hill
on 27th of May, 2010, on a well prepared seedbed using
the seed lots of long maturing maize hybrid single
cross 704.
Physico-chemical properties of experimental soil
before sowing showed 0.17% N, 9ppm P2O5 and 350ppm
K2O with sandy-clay-loam texture. A basal dose of 250 kg
N plus 100 P205 ha-1 was used. Full dose of phosphorous
in the form of ammonium phosphate and half nitrogen in
form of urea were applied at the time of planting and half
nitrogen was applied in at side dressing after thinning.
Thinning was practiced at 4-6 leaf stage. All other
agronomic practices were kept normal and uniform for all
the treatments under study.
Irrigations of all methods were scheduled using a
mini-evaporation pan. In this case, each main-plot was
irrigated when 80 mm decrease of water level was occurred
in the pan after last irrigation.
The amount of water for each irrigation was
determined to reach soil water content in root zone to field
capacity. Electrical conductivity of water and soil was less
then 1.5 ds m 1. Surface run off was not occurred during
the research year because of surrounded subplots.
Plots irrigated by a volumetric counter with the same
irrigation frequency. Prior to imposing every other furrow
treatments, irrigations were conducted in these plots
using the CFI technique.
At flowering stage (mid Aug.) antioxidants,
photosynthetic pigments and nitrogen components were
measured in leaves. These traits were measured in fresh
leaf samples of two uniform plants per subplots.
Antioxidants include peroxidase and catalase were
assayed as described by Clive (1984) and Wenhugsic
(1992), respectively.
Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll b and Chlorophyll a+b as
photosynthetic pigments were measured as described by
Ashraf et al [14] and Arnon [18], nitrogen components
include soluble protein and proline amino acid were
assayed as described by Krieg [19] and Bates [4],
respectively.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
A field experiment was conducted as a split plot
experiment based on RCBD with four replications at
Kamalvand field research of Islamic Azad University,
branch Khorramabad, Iran, with semi-arid climate during
the dry summer season (Table 1).
Irrigation was applied as main factor through furrows
in three ways: conventional furrow irrigation (CFI) in
which every furrow was irrigated during each watering in
throughout the growth season; fixed every other furrow
irrigation (FFI) in which irrigation was fixed to one of the
two neighboring furrows; and alternative every other
furrow irrigation (AFI) in which one of the two
neighboring furrows was alternately irrigated throughout
the growth season. Sub-plots were three plant densities
included 7, 8 and 9 plant m 2.
190
World Appl. Sci. J., 17 (2): 189-193, 2012
Table 2: Analysis of variance for some physiological traits of corn under different irrigation methods and planting densities
Source of variances
df
Replicate (R)
Irrigation method (I)
Ea
Planting density (PD)
I * PD
Eb
3
2
6
3
6
27
CV
Chlorophyll
a mg/g
FW
Chlorophyll
b mg/g
FW
Total
Chlorophyll
mg/g FW
Proline
micromol/g
FW
Protein
micromol/g
FW
Catalase
mg protein
/min
Peroxidase
mg protein
/min
0.025
2.39**
0.016
0.042
0.016
0.23
0.008
0.29**
0.016
0.0007
0.0053
0.029
0.014
4.3**
0.044
0.053
0.020
0.050
3.1
7.0**
5.7
12.0
2.3
3.5
3.8
114.2**
3.0
3.5
0.74
1.6
6.02
132.1**
7.5
5.4
0.9
3.0
5.2
105.1**
7.3
6.2
0.7
2.7
12.3
16.4
11.9
10.4
14.3
8.3
10.9
* and ** are significant at 0.05 and 0.01, respectively.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Irrigation method had significant effect on
antioxidants, photosynthetic pigments and nitrogen
components as described below, but there were no
significant difference in these traits due to planting
density and irrigation method × planting density
interaction (Table 2).
Antioxidants: Irrigation method had significant effect on
antioxidants (Table 2). Catalase (19.8% and 24.1%,
respectively) and peroxidase (43.5% and 31.9%,
respectively) increased significantly in both FFI and AFI
(Fig. 1), due to water stress induced by small amount of
applied water in every other furrow irrigation [3,20,21], But
no differences were observed between the two every
other furrow irrigation methods.
This result showed response of corn plant to
drought stress with changing in antioxidant which is
supported by other previous researches [22-24].
Gholizadeh [10] revealed that the total antioxidant
capacity in the leaves of maize inbreds quickly increases
during drought period, which is similar to the result
obtained in this research.
Photosynthetic Pigments: The performance of FFI and
AFI all showed a substantial decrease in Chlorophyll a
(5.9% and 4.0%, respectively), Chlorophyll b (12.1% and
13.5%, respectively) and Chlorophyll a+b (9.0% and 8.6%,
respectively) as photosynthetic pigments (Fig. 1).
It is mostly reported that chlorophyll a, chlorophyll
b, chlorophyll a+b were decreased by stress conditions [5,
15, 13], which are agreement with the result obtained in
this research.
CFI, FFI and AFI are conventional furrow irrigation, fixed
every other furrow irrigation and alternative every other
furrow irrigation, respectively.
Fig. 1: Diagram of different physiological characteristics
of corn under irrigation methods.
The loss of transpiration and turgor due to water
deficit causes a decrease in NO3- absorption by the roots
and in transport from the roots to the leaves [25] and N
components in plant [26,12].
Despite of decreasing in soluble protein, proline
amino acid significantly increased at the rate of 69.4% and
80.4% by using FFI and AFI, respectively (Fig. 1).
Nitrogen Components: Soluble protein was significantly
affected by every other furrow irrigation (Table 2) and
decrease at the rates of 5.6% and 14.7% in FFI and AFI,
respectively (Fig. 1).
191
World Appl. Sci. J., 17 (2): 189-193, 2012
It is reported that accumulation of especial solutes
such as proline is a common observation under stress
condition [11, 12]. Ashraf et al [14] reported that proline
is an important osmolyte to adjust the plant under
drought/saline conditions.
It was thought that accumulated proline under
environmental stress do not inhibit biochemical reactions
and plays a role as an osmoprotectant during osmotic
stress [16].
This result is agreement with the result obtained by
Knipp and Honermeier [11] and Pinheiro et al [12].
6.
7.
8.
9.
CONCLUSION
Water stress due to reduction of water used in both
every other furrow irrigation methods (FFI and AFI)
caused physiological reaction in corn plant. Soluble
protein and photosynthetic pigments reduction was
drought-induced damage and increase in antioxidants and
proline activity as biochemical markers for water stress
was an important strategy to cope drought stress to
adjust the plant in this research.
10.
11.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
12.
The author would like to thank the Islamic Azad
University, branch Khorramabad for funding this research
work.
13.
REFERENCES
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Heinigre, R.W., 2000. Irrigation and Drought
management. Crop Science Department. Available
from: http://www. ces. ncsu. edu/plymouth/ cropsci/
cornguide/Chapter4.html.
Fishbach, P.E. and H.R. Mulliner. 1974. Every-other
furrow irrigation of corn. Trans. ASAE. 17(3): 426428.
Sepaskhah, A.R. and M. Ghasemi, 2008.
Every-other-furrow irrigation with different intervals
for sorghum. Pak. J. Biol. Sci., 11(9): 1234-1239.
Mitchell, A.R., C.C. Shock and G.M. Perry, 1995.
Alternating furrow irrigation to minimize nitrate
leaching to groundwater. Conference Proc. ‘Clean
water-clean Environment-21st Century’, Kansas City,
Missouri, ASAE.
Ashrafuzzaman, M., M.A.H. Khan, S.M Shohidullah
and M.S. Rahman, 2000. Effect of salinity on the
chlorophyll content, yield and yield components of
QPM cv. Nutricta. Pakistan J. Biological Sci.,
3(1): 43-46.
14.
15.
16.
17.
192
Reddy, A.R., K.V. Chaitanya and M. Vivekanandan,
2004. Drought-induced responses of photosynthesis
and antioxidant metabolism in higher plants. Plant
Physiol., 161(11): 1189-1202.
Gaspar, T.H., Cl. Penel, T. Thorpe, H. Greppin, 1982.
Peroxidases. 1970-1980. A Survey of Their
Biochemical and Physiological Roles in Higher
Plants. Eds. University of Geneve. Centre Botanique.
Scandalios, J.G., 1993. Oxygen stress and superoxide
dismutases. Plant Physiol., 101: 7 -12.
Zhang, J.
and
M.B.
Kirkham,
1994.
Drought-Stress-Induced Changes in Activities
of Superoxide Dismutase, Catalase and Peroxidase
in Wheat Species. Plant and Cell Physiol.,
35(5): 785-791.
Gholizadeh, A., 2010. Anti-Oxidation Profile in the
Leaves of Maize Inbreds: Elevation in the Activity of
Phenylalanine Ammonia Lyase under Drought
Stress. J. Plant Sci., 5(2): 137-145.
Knipp, G.
and
B.
Honermeier 2006.
Effect of water stress on praline accumulation
of
genetically modified potatoes (solanum
tuberosum l.) generating fructans. J. Plant Physiol.,
163(4): 392-397.
Pinheiro, C., J.A. Passarinho and C.P. Ricardo, 2004.
Effect of drought and rewatering on the metabolism
of Lupinus albus organs. J. Plant Physiol.,
161(11): 1203-1210.
Iqbal, N., M.Y. Ashraf, Farrukh Javed, Vicente
Martinez and Kafeel Ahmad, 2006. Nitrate reduction
and nutrient accumulation in wheat (Triticum
aestivum L.) grown in soil salinization with four
different salts. J. Plant Nutrition, 29: 409-421.
Ashraf, M.Y., A.R. Azmi, A.H. Khan and S.A. Ala,
1994. Effect of water stress on total phenols,
peroxides activity and chlorophyll content in wheat.
Acta Physiology Plant. 16(3): 1-18.
Moussa, R.H., 2006. Influence of Exogenous
Application of Silicon on physiological Response of
Salt-stressed Maize (Zea mays L.). Int. J. Agri. Biol.,
8: 2.
Yoshiba, Y., T. Kiyosue, K. Nakashima,
K.Y. Yamaguchi-Shinozaki and K. Shinozaki, 1997.
Regulation of levels of proline as an osmolyte in
plants under water stress. Plant Cell Physiol.,
38(10): 1095-1102.
Akbar, H., P. Shah, K.A.Z., H. Saeed and M. Munir,
1996. Biomass, grain yield and harvest index and
criteria for comparing corn types at different
nitrogen levels and planting densities. Sarhad J.
Agric., 12: 261-267.
World Appl. Sci. J., 17 (2): 189-193, 2012
18. Arnon, D.I., 1975. Copper enzymes in isolated
chloroplasts; polyphenol-oxidase in Beta vulgaris.
Plant Physiol., 24: 1-15.
19. Krieg, O.R., 1983. Photosynthetic activity during
stress. E.g.r Water Managing. 1: 249.263.
20. Kang, S.H., Z. Liang, Y. Pan, P. Shi and J. Zhang.
2000. Alternate furrow irrigation for maize production
in an arid area. Agricultural water Manage.,
45(3): 267-274.
21. Sepaskhah, A.R. and M.H. Khajehabdollahi, 2005.
Alternate furrow irrigation with different irrigation
intervals for maize (Zea mays L.). Plant Prod. Sci.,
8(5): 592-600.
22. Gechev, T.S., I. Gadjev, F. Van Breusegem, D. Inze,
S. Dukiandjiev, V. Toneva and I. Minkov, 2002.
Hydrogen peroxide protects tobacco from oxidative
stress by inducing a set of antioxidant enzymes. Cell.
Mol. Life Sci., 59: 708-714.
23. Habibi, D., M.M.A. Boojar, A. Mahmoudi,
M.R. Ardakani and D. Taleghani, 2004. Antioxidative
enzymes in sunflower subjected to droughy stress.
Proceedings of tha 4th International Crop Science
Congress, Sep. 26-Oct. 01, Brisbane, Australia.
http://regional.org.au/au/asa/2004/poster/1/3/4/594
_habibid.htm.
24. Saleh, L. and C. Plieth, 2009. Fingerprinting
antioxidative activities in plants. Plant Methods,
5: 2-2.
25. Larsson, M., 1992. Translocation of nitrogen in
osmotically stressed wheat seedlings. Plant Cell
Environ. 15: 447-453.
26. Heckathorn, S.A. and De Lucia, 1994. Droughtinduced nitrogen retranslocation in perennial C4
grasses of tallgrass prairie. Ecol., 75: 1877-1886.
193