Study the Effect of Levels, Methods and Dates of Potassium Application in The Behavioral of Available Potassium and NPK in Vegetative Dry Weight of Maize under Drip Irrigation

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out in the experimental field of the Department of Soil Science and Water Resources - College of Agriculture / University of Wasit in sandy loam soil, to study the effect of potassium levels and methods of applications on the absorption of essential plant nutrients and on the growth and yield of maize (Zea mays. L.) var. Fajr 1.The study was carried according to RCBD design with three replications. The experiment consists of three levels of potassium sulfate 0, 100, 200 kg. ha-1 and denoted by K0, K1, and K2 respectively, and it has been partitioned into one and two doses and denoted by B1 and B2 respectively. In addition to three methods of applications (Traditional, Capsule and Foliar) and denoted by T, C, and F respectively. Soil samples were taken during the stages of vegetative growth and crop maturity and the available potassium was estimated, and the percentage of N, P and K was also estimated after the crop matured for various study parameters. The results showed that the treatment of K2TB1 gave the highest values of available potassium during the vegetative growth stage, which amounted to 93.73 x 10-2Cmol kg-1.While the K2TB1 combination achieved significant superiority of available potassium at maturity (76.05 x 10-2Cmol kg-1)Also, the treatment combination of K2FB2, outperformed by giving the highest value for N, P and K concentrations, which were 2.193, 0.497 and 1.230% respectively.