Effect of Organic Amendments in Hybrid Maize under Soil Salinity Condition

Salinity is a major concern for crop production in coastal areas of Bangladesh. Organic amendments could contribute to the improvement of crop production in coastal areas. The study was to investigate the mitigation of the adverse effects of soil salinity in maize by using organic amendments. There were nine (9) treatment combinations consisting of control, 30 mM NaCl, 60 mM NaCl, 30 mM NaCl+Cowdung (5t/ha), 60 mM NaCl+Cowdung (5t/ha), 30mM NaCl + Poultry manure (3t/ha), 60 mM NaCl + PM3 t/ha), 30 mM NaCl + Compost (6t/ha), 60 mM NaCl+ Compost (6t/ha). Results revealed that plants were exposed to different concentrations of NaCl at vegetative stage. Salt stress caused a significant reduction in growth and yield of the maize variety. High salt stress (60 mM NaCl) caused a drastic decrease in growth and height of the maize variety. Salt stress also decreased K+/Na+ ratio and nutrient contents in maize variety. BARI Hybrid Maize-9 conferred tolerance to high salinity, when soils were amended with cowdung or PM than compost. However, the application of organic amendments, especially cowdung at 5 t/ha under 30 mM NaCl (T4), enhanced shoot height, root length, plant dry weight, and nutrient contents (N, P, K, S), while improving the K+/Na+ ratio, thus conferring greater salt tolerance. The present study suggests that BARI Hybrid Maize-9 can be recommended to cultivate for grain production and fodder crop with organic amendments in saline affected areas of Bangladesh since soil amendments with organic manures improved electrical conductivity and organic matter status under salinity condition.