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Tabri and Akil: Effect of Potassium on the Growth, Production and Quality of F1

Effect of Potassium on the Growth, Production and Quality of F1 Hybrid Maize

F.Tabri and M. Akil Indonesian Cereals Research Institute Jl. Dr. Ratulangi 274, Maros, South Sulawesi

ABSTRACT. The major constraint for F1 hybrid maize production is the small rate of pollen production and soil fertility. A field experiment was conducted in a farmer’s field in Soppeng District, South Sulawesi from May to December 2010. The study was aimed to investigate the effect of varied potassium fertilizer rate to production and quality of F1 hybrid maize . The research involved eight rates of potassium arranged in randomized complete block design with three replications. The treatments consited of no fertilizer as control (P0), 300 kg urea/ha + 150 kg SP36/ha (P1), 300 kg urea/ha + 150 kg SP36/ha + 50 kg KCl/ha (P2), 300 kg urea/ha + 150 kg SP36/ha + 75 kg KCl/ ha(P3), 300 kg urea/ha + 150 kg SP36/ha + 100 kg KCl/ha (P4), 100 kg KCl/ha (P5),150 kg KCl/ha (P6), and 200 kg KCl/ ha (P7). The results revealed that the application of potassium fertilizer as potassium chloride increased leaf area index (LAI) and grain yield. The application of 300 kg urea/ha + 150 kg SP36/ha + 100 kg KCl/ha (P4) produced the highest yield of 2.8 t/ha, and the largest LAI of 4.4. Regardless of parameter plant grow, plant height, tassel maturity, silking maturity, 100 seed and weight of crown had comparable to all treatments. Keywords: potassium, seed production, F1 hybrid maize

Introduction drought and disease, and 8) improve the seed quality (Thompson 1991). The use of potassium had purposed to Hybrid maize varieties have made productivity and increase the F1 hybrid maize, so that the efficiency could production increase significantly. However, most farmers be increased and resulted more profit for the farmers. in Indonesia still grow open pollinated varieties and advanced generations of hybrids because open pollinated According to Ontok(1998), production of desired F1 varieties provide grain yield under poor environments and hybrid maize seed may be achieved by various means; allow farmers to use their own seed for subsequent planting hand ; inter-planting the parental plants; (Dahlan and Mejaya 2005). The availability of quantity, collecting seed from individual seed plants where natural quality and timing of pre cultivation season of the F1 hybrid cross-pollination is known to take place with pollen coming maize seed are the main problems occur in term of maize from nearby plants; and collection of second generation seedling. The other problem faced was the high price of hybrid (F2). hybrid maize seed, so less farmers have used, unless This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of government helped the farmers by giving middle credit varying potassium fertilizer rate to production and quality program. of seed F1 hybrid maize To produced F1 hybrid maize, isolation at least 300 meters or 3 weeks to the other maize variety is needed to prevent a non-desirable intersection (Baran Wirawan and Materials and Methods Sri Wahyuni 2002). The problem to produce F1 hybrid maize seed is the small rate of pollen production. The component A field experiment was conducted in a farmer’s field in of P and K is the main source for pollen production, Soppeng district, South Sulawesi from May to December therefore it needs more attention. Potassium is one of the 2010. The experiment involved eight rates of potassium element which can be increased the quality and productivity was laid out in randomized complete block design with of the maize crop. The function of potassium is related to three replications. The treatments were: No fertilizer as 1) the increase of root growth and its dryness tenacity, 2) control (P0), 300 kg urea/ha + 150 kg SP36/ha (P1), 300 kg cellulose creation, 3) enzyme activity, 4) photosynthesis, urea/ha + 150 kg SP36/ha + 50 kg KCl/ha (P2), 300 kg urea/ 5) sugar and quintessence transportation, 6) increase the ha + 150 kg SP36/ha + 75 kg KCl/ha (P3), 300 kg urea/ha + protein content of the plant, 7) improve plant resistance to 150 kg SP36/ha + 100 kg KCl/ha (P4), 100 kg KCl/ha (P5),150

261 Proceeding International Maize Conference kg KCl/ha (P6), and 200 kg KCl/ha (P7). The plant spacing time of flowers tassel maturity (50%) produced by treatment was 75 cm x 20 cm with one seed/hill, so this gave a P7 (56.5 DAT) and silking maturity (50%) also by P7. This population 66,667 plants/ha. The cultivation consisted of indicates that the application of the height level potassium irrigation from deep well, weed control with weeding at 2 made faster tassel maturity and silking maturity. The faster weeks after transplanting (WAT) and 4 WAT, and gave time of flowers tassel and silking maturity accelerated life Furadan in early planting. The application of fertilizer was out tassel and increased grain yield of corn. Related to the performed twice, at 1 WAT by a 7 cm of row planting and duration of grain filling period was longer and moreover the second application was applied at 4 WAT by drill. supported by a better absorption of nutrients. The role of Fertilizers were applied according to the treatments at potassium as neutralizing reaction in the cell primarily of 1WAT, and especially urea was given twice. Remaining of organic acid, increase the growth of meristem tissue, half dose urea was applied at 4 WAT. The observation has regulates the movement of stomata, increasing the size been done by using parameters such as: plant grow (%), and weight of dry crown, giving a mixture of P and K plant height (cm), tassel maturity (anthesis) (DAT), silking fertilizers was affected the tassel and silking. maturity (DAT), leaf color, and leaf area index (LAI), 100 weight (g), weight of dry crown (g/plant), and grain The application of fertilizer showed the color of maize yield. leaf changed. The control treatment without applied fertilizer the unit leafgreen colorwas very low (2.4) and the application of fertilizers were ranged 3.8 – 4.3 units (Table 3). Edmeadeset. al (2000) stated that it is very important to Result and Discussion keep the canopy green in order to process grain filling.

The effect of potassium to plant growth percentage The leaf area index (LAI) is usually expressed as the was not significantly. The lower percentages of the plant total leaf area of all the leaves per unit ground are. Lai is an growth because condition of the dryness environment was not supported for the best growth of plant. Extreme radiation of the sun and the low rate of rainfall during Table 2. Effects of potassium on the tassel maturity and silking maturity.Soppeng 2010. planting season was made the growth of maize plants which were not optimized (Table 1). Tassel Silking Treatments (kg/ha) maturity maturity The level of potassium application was not significant (DAT) (DAT) to the plant height of maize plant. This indicates that all No fertilizer as control (P0) 59.8 ns 54.5 ns level potassium treatments are comparable to produced 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 0 KCl (P!) 57.3 53.6 plant height.Table 1 showed the tallest plant was produced 300 Urea + 150 SP36 +50 KCl (P2) 58.3 54.3 by treatment of P4 (146.8 cm) and the shortest plant by 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 75 KCl (P3) 57.3 53.5 treatment control (127.5 cm). 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 100 KCl (P4) 56.8 53.3 100 KCl (P5) 57.6 53.8 The level of potassium application was not significant 150 KCl (P6) 57.3 54.5 200 KCl (P7) 56.6 53.3 to the tassel maturity and silking maturity. (Table 2).Anthesissilking Interval (ASI) further showed that was Note: ns = not significantly different at the 5% level by DMRT all level potassium treatments were comparable. The faster

Table 3. Effects of potassium on the leaf color and leaf area Table 1. Effects of potassium on the plant grow percentage and index (LAI). Soppeng 2010. plant height. Soppeng 2010. Treatments (kg/ha) Leaf color LAI Treatments (kg/ha) Plant grow Plant height (unit) (%) (cm) No fertilizer as control (P0) 2.4 a 1.8 a No fertilizer as control (P0) 82.8 ns 127.5 ns 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 0 KCl (P!) 3.8 b 3.5 b 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 0 KCl (P!) 92.9 137.9 300 Urea + 150 SP36 +50 KCl (P2) 3.8 b 3.8 b 300 Urea + 150 SP36 +50 KCl (P2) 83.6 129.3 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 75 KCl (P3) 4.0 b 4.2 b 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 75 KCl (P3) 88.0 130.6 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 100 KCl (P4) 4.3 b 4.4 b 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 100 KCl (P4) 91.5 146.8 100 KCl (P5) 4,2 b 4.3 b 100 KCl (P5) 87.1 130.4 150 KCl (P6) 4.3 b 4.3 b 150 KCl (P6) 88.3 140.0 200 KCl (P7) 4.3 b 4.0 b 200 KCl (P7) 93.0 144.3 Means followed by the same letter in each column are not Note: ns = not significantly different at the 5% level by DMRT significantly different according to DMRT at 5% level

262 Tabri and Akil: Effect of Potassium on the Growth, Production and Quality of F1 Hybrid Maize

Table 4. Effects of potassium on the 100 seeds weight and dry Table 5. Effects of potassium on the grain yield of F1 hybrid crown weight.Soppeng 2010. maize Soppeng 2010.

100 seeds Dry crown Treatments(kg/ha) Grain yield Treatments (kg/ha) weight weight (t/ha) (g) (g/plant) No fertilizer as control (P0) 1.8 a No fertilizer as control (P0) 22.6 ns 220.5 ns 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 0 KCl (P!) 2.5 b 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 0 KCl (P!) 24.2 396.0 300 Urea + 150 SP36 +50 KCl (P2) 2.6 b 300 Urea + 150 SP36 +50 KCl (P2) 24.2 400.0 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 75 KCl (P3) 2.7 b 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 75 KCl (P3) 26.0 362.5 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 100 KCl (P4) 2.8 b 300 Urea + 150 SP36 + 100 KCl (P4) 30.0 390.5 100 KCl (P5) 2.5 b 100 KCl (P5) 26.6 400.5 150 KCl (P6) 2.6 b 150 KCl (P6) 26.9 410.0 200 KCl (P7) 2.6 b 200 KCl (P7) 28.2 420.5 Means followed by the same letter in each column are not Note: ns = not significantly different at the 5% level by DMRT significantly different according to DMRT at 5% level important index in light interception (Yoshida 1981). The Conclusion lowest LAI produced by treatment no fertilizer (1.8) and the application any fertilizer was comparable to the LAI. The application of100 kg KCl/ha with 300 kg urea and Table 3also showed that the application of fertilizer 150 kg SP36 produced the highest yield F1 hybrid maize of produced LAI ranged from 3.5 – 4.4. According to Eghball 2.8 t/ha, and the largest LAI of 4.4 et al. (2004) hybrid maize varieties has the optimal LAI ranged 3.3 – 4.0. If LAI above 4.5 resulted in leaf overlap and the bottom leaf were not exposed by sun radiation, Referencess therefore the vegetative growth was not balanced and could be affected to grain yield. Dahlan, M and M.J.Mejaya. 2007. Yield and stability of hybrids maizecompared to open pollinated varieties. Proceeding The level of potassium fertilizer did not influence 100 of the Ninth Asian Regional Maize Workshop. September seeds and dry crown weight. All treatments were 5- 9, 2005. Beijing,China. China Agricultural Science and comparable to 100 seeds and dry crown weight. The Technology Press. weightier 100 seed produced by treatment P4 (30.0 g) and Edmeades, G..O., M. Banziger, and J.M. Ribaut. 2000. Maize the weightier dry crown by treatment P7 (Table 4). improvement for drought limited environments. P.75-111. In M.E. Otegui and G.A. Slaver (Eds), Physiological Bases The maize plant indicated that the increasing of the for Maize Improvement. Food Product Press, New York. average seed number from potassium fertilizer with N (urea) Eghball, B., D. Ginting, and J.E. Gilky. 2004. Residual effect of and P (SP36) tend to produce the highest grain yield than manures and compost application on corn production and the other treatments. Soil properties. Agron. J. 96:442-447 The increase in grain yield by application of potassium Ontok, P. G.. 1998. Yield of hybrid corn grown as monocrop fertilizer before flowering had related to the increase in the and with legume intercrop at varying rates of nitrogen under multi-storey cropping conditions. A Ph.D number of leaves, that ate still green during the generative Dissertation in Crop Science- .Central Luzon phase. The leaves still green needed to sustain State University, Munoz, Nueva Ecija. Philippines.. photosynthetic rate remained high during the generative Sinclair, T.R. and C.T. de Wit, 1975. Photosynthate and nitrogen phase for grain filling process, the rate remains high requirements for seedproduction by various crops. Science despite the aging process leaves during the reproductive (Washington, D.C.), 189: 565-567. phase. According to the study results by Sinclair and de Thompson, J.P. 1991. Improving the mycorrhizal conditions With (1975), seed plants require relatively high N supply of the soil through cultural practices and effects on growth during grain filling for the production of relatively high and phosphorus uptake by plants. P.117-137. In: C. photosynthate to seed. When the supply of N decreased Johansen, K.K. Lee and K.L. Sahrawat (Eds), Phosphorus during this phase, the plant will move N from leaves to Nutrition of Grain Legumes in the Semi-Arid Tropics. seeds, which in turn accelerates the aging leaves. The best ICRISAT: Patancheru, India. method for increasing the seed production F1 hybrid maize Yoshida,S. 1981. Fundamental of Rice Crop Science. was applied 300 kg urea + 150 kg SP36 + 100 kg KCl/ha International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Los Banos, (treatment P4) and produced 2.8 t/ha (Table 5). Laguna, Philippines. 269. p.

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