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. 2024 Aug 15;24:775. doi: 10.1186/s12870-024-05467-w

Table 4.

The solitary effects of adopting water stress and applying different applications methods of potassium humate and zinc applications under partial root-zone drip irrigation techniques on soil pH, proline, hydrogen peroxide, carbohydrate, chlorophyll, and leaf water content in maize leaves during the growing seasons of 2019/2020 and 2020/2021

Studied factors Soil pH Proline
(μmol g−1)
H2O2
(μmol g−1)
Carbohydrate
(mg g−1)
Chlorophyll
(mg g−1)
LWC
(%)
PRIs techniques
 FDI 7.28 ± 0.1 a 108.7 ± 22 a 29.98 ± 11.3 a 526.3 ± 3.3 b 48.6 ± 12.4 b 72.37 ± 9.1 b
 ADI 7.13 ± 0.08 b 102.3 ± 34 b 25.12 ± 11.9 b 621.4 ± 3.7 a 53.21 ± 11.0 a 77.48 ± 6.4 a
Irrigation levels (Ir)
 100 (%) 7.18 ± 0.08 b 97.4 ± 30.8 b 24.84 ± 12.2 b 539.5 ± 3.9 b 51.27 ± 10.6 a 77.09 ± 6.0 a
 75 (%) 7.23 ± 0.2 a 113.6 ± 20 a 30.26 ± 10.5 a 608.2 ± 3.1 a 50.49 ± 13.9 b 72.76 ± 10.2 b
Applications (EAP)
 Control 7.27 ± 0.22 a 94.5 ± 18.4 h 23.26 ± 9.9 g 511.3 ± 1.9 h 44.2 ± 8.1 g 70.07 ± 10 h
 KH F 7.233 ± 0.2 bc 96.2 ± 16.3 g 22.82 ± 6.8 g 532.8 ± 1.4 g 48.6 ± 4.5 e 72.47 ± 9.9 g
 Zn F 7.23 ± 0.2 b 94.7 ± 20.6 h 21.05 ± 6.6 h 540.9 ± 0.52 f 47.8 ± 7.8 ef 72.22 ± 7.7 g
 KH S 7.19 ± 0.15 d 96.9 ± 19.3 f 25.83 ± 10.1 f 570.9 ± 2.03 e 50.17 ± 5.0 d 74.89 ± 7.7 e
 Zn S 7.22 ± 0.2 c 100.6 ± 19.4 e 27.98 ± 12.5 d 570.9 ± 0.35 e 47.2 ± 4.5 f 73.3 ± 7.8 f
 KH F + Zn F 7.20 ± 0.23 d 106.0 ± 23.7 d 36.8 ± 5.9 a 633.5 ± 1.24 a 50.94 ± 6.06 d 75.69 ± 6.4 d
 KH F + Zn S 7.18 ± 0.18 e 109.5 ± 28.6 c 33.23 ± 5.04 b 595.3 ± 0.52 d 53.46 ± 13.6 c 77.34 ± 5.3 c
 KH S + Zn F 7.17 ± 0.15 e 114.6 ± 20.9 b 30.03 ± 8.4 c 606.3 ± 0.46 b 56.2 ± 9.5 b 78.45 ± 5.6 b
 KH S + Zn S 7.14 ± 0.16 f 122.0 ± 37.6 a 26.95 ± 6.5 e 602.7 ± 0.32 c 59.3 ± 13.3 a 79.82 ± 4.5 a
Source of variation df p-values
 PRIs techniques 1 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001
 Irrigation levels (Ir) 1  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001
 Examined applications (EAP) 8  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.004  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001
 PRIs × Ir 1  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001
 PRIs × EAP 8  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001
 Ir × EAP 8  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001
 PRIs × Ir × EAP 64  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001  < 0.001

Abbreviations: H2O2 Hydrogen peroxide, LWC Leaf water content, PRIs Partial root-zone drip irrigation techniques, FDI Fixed partial root-zone drip irrigation, ADI Alternate partial root-zone drip irrigation. control (tap water applications), KH F (foliar applications of potassium humate = 3 g L−1 water), Zn F (foliar applications of chelated zinc = 1.25 kg ha−1), KH S (applications of potassium humate applied through the drip irrigation systems = 3 g L−1), Zn S (chelated zinc applied through the drip irrigation systems at a rate of 1.25 kg ha−1)