Nowadays, drip irrigation is a promising technology for optimizing plant development conditions and allowing the introduction of necessary nutrients to plants. The study aimed to establish the effects of drip irrigation with various levels of foliar dressing of mineral fertilizer Kristalon on maize (Zea mays L.) and achieve its maximum genetic potential for grain yield to enhance overall production. A field experiment implies exploratory research and quantifies the effects of drip irrigation with foliar Kristalon dressing to validate and introduce scientific achievements in agricultural production. Various technological methods applied to corn cultivation sought to increase its green mass and yield. In the experimental treatments, the corn crop irrigation engaged drip irrigation with different foliar dressings of Kristalon in the phases of the 5th and 11th tillering leaf and stem elongation with the norms of 2, 4, and 6 kg Kristalon ha^-1, respectively, in comparison with the control treatment (no Kristalon foliar dressing). Corn foliar treatment with fertilizer Kristalon preparation with a norm of 2, 4, and 6 kg ha^-1 produced grain yields of 11.43, 12.27, and 12.33 t ha^-1, respectively, compared with the control treatment (9.67 t ha^-1). The fertilizer Kristalon at 2, 4, and 6 kg ha^-1 produced 18.2%, 26.9%, and 27.5% more grain yield than the control. However, the Kristalon foliar dressing at 6 kg ha^-1 did not significantly increase the maize grain yield, and there was an increase of 0.6% compared with the 4 kg ha^-1 level. Therefore, corn foliar dressing with fertilizer Kristalon at 4 kg ha^-1 is an option for better production under the environmental conditions of South Kazakhstan.

Keywords: Maize (Zea mays L.), grain corn, drip irrigation, foliar dressing, mineral fertilizer Kristalon, yield components, grain yield

Key findings: Assessment of drip irrigation with mineral fertilizer Kristalon foliar dressing revealed that Kristalon preparation at 4 kg ha^-1 in the phases of 5th and 9th leaf tillering and stem elongation is recommendable for getting maximum grain yield at the Zhambyl Region, South Kazakhstan.