PJB-2021-525
SALINITY STRESS IN MAIZE (ZEA MAYS): CAUSES AND EFFECTS AT DIFFERENT DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES
Sidra Rasheed
Abstract
Maize is the third most important cereal crop after wheat and rice in Pakistan. The average yield of maize in Pakistan is low as compared to other maize growing regions of the world due to different abiotic stress such as salinity, flooding, drought, freezing and temperature. The yield of maize crop is significantly reduced due to salinity. This study is planned to screen out different genotypes of maize crop under salinity stress. To check the effect of salinity on maize crop, nine genotypes of maize crop were grown in three replications under CRD experiment with factorial design in pots. Three treatments control, 100 mM NaCl and 150 mM NaCl concentrations were applied. Different morphological parameters such as plant height, root length, number of grains per cob and 100 grain weight, biochemical parameters such as chlorophyll contents, proline contents and protein contents and physiological parameters including stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were recorded for screening and stage specific study under salinity. The significant decrease of plant height, root length, number of grains per cob and 100 grain weight were recorded at 150 mM NaCl as compared to control treatment where there are no salts. Among bio chemicals, the increase of chlorophyll contents, proline contents and protein contents were recorded under 150 mM NaCl. The sodium and chlorides accumulation was higher in leaves of studied genotypes as compared other plants. The reduction of calcium and magnesium accumulation was recorded in plant leaves due to increase of salt stress. Therefore, current research aimed to study maize crop (Zea mays) under salt stress and to study the effects and causes of salinity at different course of life cycle.
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