Enhancing maize drought resilience through integrated fertilizer management: a study of two Iranian regions
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18406/2316-1817v17nunico20251976Palavras-chave:
Sustainable agriculture. Water stress. Yield components. Nutrient management. Crop physiology. Semi-arid regions.Resumo
This study was developed in order to examinate the combined effects of drought stress and integrated fertilizer management on maize yield and physiological characteristics in Iran's Bam and Fahraj regions. The experiment used a split-plot design with randomized complete blocks in three replications. Drought stress treatments were applied at three levels: no stress (-0.3 MPa), mild drought stress (-0.7 MPa), and severe drought stress (-1.1 MPa). Six fertilizer treatments were evaluated: no fertilizer, chemical fertilizer (300 kg N ha⁻¹ + 150 kg P₂O₅ ha⁻¹), phosphate biofertilizer, nitrogen biofertilizer, vermicompost (5 t ha⁻¹), and integrated fertilizer management, combining 50% chemical fertilizer with both biofertilizers and vermicompost. Integrated fertilizer management under optimal irrigation conditions had the highest impact on crop performance. Grain yield in Bam region increased from 5640.6 kg ha⁻¹ under no stress conditions to 12341.2 kg ha⁻¹ with integrated fertilizer treatment; and in Fahraj region from 4140 kg ha⁻¹ to 10840.6 kg ha⁻¹. The harvest index under no stress and integrated fertilizer treatment conditions reached the highest levels in Bam (45.94%) and Fahraj (44.21%). With increasing drought stress intensity, the harvest index decreased significantly, reaching 27.61% in Bam under severe drought stress conditions. Therefore, integrated fertilizer management is an effective strategy for enhancing drought tolerance and improving maize performance in arid regions. The combination of chemical and biological fertilizers successfully mitigated the negative effects of drought stress and improved crop production efficiency.
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