Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during spring season of 2018 at Field Research Area of Al-Mussaib Technical College in northern Babylon province of Iraq to study the effect of three levels of phosphate fertilizer (100, 200 and 300 kg P2O5/ha), three irrigation periods (5, 10 and 15 days) and two levels of salicylic acid (0 and 100 ppm) on the growth, yield and quality of popcorn cv. Al-Sorour. The experiment was conducted using split-split-plots within the randomized complete block design (RCBD). The irrigation treatment of 10 days period produced significantly higher average number of grains in cob (502.13 grains), weight of 500 grains (101.41 g), per plant yield (132.89 g) and total yield (7.09 t/ha) compared to other treatments of irrigation. The application of phosphorus @ 300 kg P2O5/ha produced significantly higher average number of grains in cob, the weight of 500 grains, plant yield and total yield to the tune of 653.32 grains, 101.41 g, 132.89 g and 7.087 t/ha, respectively, compared to other treatments of phosphorus. The spraying treatment of salicylic acid @ 100 ppm produced significantly higher number of grains in cob, the weight of 500 grains, plant yield and total yield to the tune of 653.32 grains, 101.50 g, 132.89 g and 7.09 t/ha, respectively, compared to control where no salicylic acid was sprayed. The interactions between two treatments i. e. irrigation every 10 days period x spraying with 100 ppm salicylic acid, irrigation every 10 days period x phosphorus @ 300 kg P2O5/ha and spraying of 100 ppm salicylic acid x phosphorus @ 300 kg P2O5/ha were found significantly superior over other interactions between two treatment combinations. The interaction between three treatments i. e. irrigation every 10 days period x spraying with 100 ppm salicylic acid x 300 kg P2O5/ha was significantly superior compared to other interactions between three treatment combinations.