Soil Submergence Effects on Nutrient Uptake, Growth, and Yield of Five Corn Cultivars1

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Abstract
The potential of new corn hybrids in India is not obtained because of waterlogging. A field experiment on a Mollisol‐udoll soil was conducted 1) to study the response of five corn varieties (cultivars) to waterlogged conditions and 2) to determine the critical growth stages and duration of waterlogging at which yield is significantly reduced. Waterlogging affected growth rate, nutrient uptake, a number of other physiological processes, and yield.Waterlogging (48 hours and 72 hours) at knee‐high stage and tasselling stage retarded the growth of all the varieties except ‘Ganga‐2’ and submergence for 72 hours significantly reduced the uptake of N and K and increased P uptake in all the varieties. Calcium and Mg uptake were unaffected.The grain yield of varieties was found in the decreasing order of ‘Jaunpur’ < ‘Kisan’ < ‘Vijay’ < ‘Ganga‐7’ < Ganga‐2. Soil flooding at knee‐high stage was found to be more harmful than at tasseling stage. The critical limits of waterlogging at knee‐high stage were 72 hours for Ganga‐2 and 48 hours for other varieties. Flooding for 72 hours did not reduce the yield of Ganga‐2 at tasselling stage but yield of other varieties was significantly decreased. Ganga‐2 was more tolerant to waterlogging because it developed maximum gas spaces and an extensive adventitious root system at the surface of the water under waterlogged conditions.