Resumo

MELENDEZ, Lenny; HERNANDEZ, Alba  e  FERNANDEZ, Shirley. Effect of soil and foliar fertilization on vegetative growth in maize plants affected by flooding. Bioagro [online]. 2006, vol.18, n.2, pp.107-114. ISSN 1316-3361.

The western plains are one of the regions of greater maize production in Venezuela. They presents zones with drainage problems and in rainy periods soil oxygen deficiency occurs which cause maize yield reductions. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of soil and foliar fertilization on the growth of two maize varieties (Santa Ana and Turén 2000) affected by a period of flood during vegetative stage. Crop was grown in a greenhouse in 20-liter pots. A 2 x 2 x 3 factorial set of treatments was arranged with flooding (yes or no), corn varieties (Santa Ana or Turén 2000), and fertilization (no fertilizer, foliar fertilization, or soil fertilization). A split-split-plot design was used with four replications. A six-day flooding was applied when the sixth leaf tip was visible. Finalized the flood, the pots were drained for 48 hours before the application of the fertilization treatments. A group of samplings were performed at different periods: before flooding, after flooding, and 15 days after the fertilization. Dry biomass, leaf area, and chlorophyll were determined. Results proved that dry biomass was no affected by flooding nevertheless the leaf area was reduced. After fertilization, the biomass was smaller in the flooded plants and no differences were found in the leaf area, even though the variety Santa Ana presented greater values. Leaf chlorophyll content decreased in flooded plants. It is concluded that flooding partially affected the plant vegetative growth, but the effect could not be reversed by fertilization.

Palavras-chave : Flooding; Zea mays; biomass; leaf area; chlorophyll.