Microsoft Word - 515

Abstract

ABSTRACT In order to study the effect of drought stress on morphologic traits, yield and yield components of 9 new hybrids of corn (Zea maize L.), an experiment was conducted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications under drought stress and normal irrigation based on 80 and 50 % allowing water depletion, respectively at Khorasan-Razavi Agriculture Research Center, Mashhad, Iran on June 10, 2011. The results of analyze variance showed that under normal irrigation and drought condition, there was a significant difference (p<0.01) between the hybrids. Mean comparison of hybrids revealed that in normal irrigation H6 and in drought stress H8 hybrid had the maximum grain yield (12.85 and 6.75 ton/ha, respectively). Under normal irrigation and water shortage, plant height and kernel no/row had the highest positive phenotypic correlation with kernel yield. In drought condition, grain yield was decreased due to the reduction cumulative effects in yield components.