Abstract

The field experiment was carried out in the spring and autumn season of 2012 in the city of Ramadi , Anbar province in loam clay silty soil texture in order to study the effects of three concentrations of boron (0, 0.75, 1.5) KgB.ha-1 was added as foliar application in the form of boric acid H3BO3(17.4%B) and three levels of potassium fertilizer (0, 100, 200) KgK.ha-1 of potassium sulfate K2SO4 (45%K) as its source in the growth and productivity of two genotypes of maize (IPA 5018 and Bohoth 106). The experiment split-split plot with R.C.B.D. design was used with three replications.
The results of this study were:
The IPA genotype had significant superior in grains number per ear, grains yield, biological yield and harvest index, the increase percentage as average of two season was 11.35, 14.97, 12.02 and 4.41% respectively compared to Bohoth genotype, which was superior in leaf area. The highest Level of potassium (200KgK.ha-1) had significant superior in leaf area, number of grains per ear, grains yield, biological yield and harvest index, the increase percentage as average of two season were 12.74, 48.75, 57.81, 39.67 and 14.28% compared to control treatment, which gave the lowest mean for this characters respectively.
Foliar application with high concentration of boron (1.5Kg B.ha-1) gave significant increase in all studied characters. The grain yield at this concentration was 10.32 and 12.43 ton.ha-1 compared to control treatment (6.48 , 7.86) ton.ha-1 of the two seasons respectively .The triple interaction of IPA genotype with highest level of both fertilizers (200Kg K+1.5Kg B).ha-1 gave the highest average of leaf area , grains number per ear , grains yield (12.80 , 14.72) ton . ha-1, biological yield and harvest index (56.82 , 56.42)% in both seasons respectively. It can be concluded that the IPA5018 genotype was more responsive for application of nutrients as it gave highest average for studied characteristics especially in high levels in both seasons.