Interactive Effects of Drought Stress and Phytohormones or Polyamines on Growth and Yield of Two M(Zea maize L) Genotypes

Two maize genotypes (Nefertiti and Bashaier) were picked up from nine maize genotypes during the early vegetative growth (25 days) to be cultivated in open field upon the crop yield under the different drought stress levels (90,70,50,30) or under the interaction effect of drought stress and phytohormones or polyamines. According to the data of growth criteria, the maize genotype Nefertiti was found to be the most drought sensitive genotype, while the genotype Bashaier was found to be the most drought resistant genotype. Additionally while the photosynthetic pigments remained more or less unchanged in genotype Bashaier, their biosynthesis destroyed earlier in the drought sensitive genotype (Nefertiti). Also while the genotype Bashaier absorbed and accumulated a sufficient amount of mono and divalent cations (K+, Ca++ and Mg++), the genotype Nefertiti did not. Accordingly while the genotype Bashaier gave a crop yield up to 50% field capacity, the genotype Nefertiti gave a crop yield only up to 70% field capacity and failed to give a crop yield beyond this level. The interaction effect of drought stress and phytohormones and polyamines improved the all above characteristics. Interestingly each of these activators considerably improved the production of crop yield only in genotype Bashaier specially polyamines they produced more than 60% field capacity and at the level of 30% field capacity (the level which did not give crop yield in this genotype). However, phytohormones in generally did not make an important effect on the crop yield in genotype Nefertiti although they improved the dry matter production during the vegetative stages. Such situation seemed to be complicated and borne many questions to be studied in the future.