Discontinuous Hydration Cycles with Elicitors Improve Germination, Growth, Osmoprotectant, and Salt Stress Tolerance in Zea mays L

Kleane Targino Oliveira Pereira, Salvador Barros Torres, Emanoela Pereira de Paiva, Tatianne Raianne Costa Alves, Maria Lilia de Souza Neta, Jefferson Bittencourt Venâncio, Lauter Silva Souto, Clarisse Pereira Benedito, Tayd Dayvison Custódio Peixoto, Miguel Ferreira Neto, Nildo da Silva Dias and Francisco Vanies da Silva Sá ()
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Kleane Targino Oliveira Pereira: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Salvador Barros Torres: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Emanoela Pereira de Paiva: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Tatianne Raianne Costa Alves: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Maria Lilia de Souza Neta: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Jefferson Bittencourt Venâncio: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Lauter Silva Souto: Center for Agro-Food Science and Technology, Federal University of Campina Grande, Pombal 58840-000, Brazil
Clarisse Pereira Benedito: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Tayd Dayvison Custódio Peixoto: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Miguel Ferreira Neto: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Nildo da Silva Dias: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil
Francisco Vanies da Silva Sá: Department of Agronomic and Forest Science, Federal Rural University of the Semi-Arid—UFERSA, Mossoró 59625-900, Brazil

Agriculture, 2023, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-14

Abstract: Saline stress impairs germination and initial plant growth. However, discontinuous hydration cycles induce osmotic tolerance in seeds and can improve the response of maize seeds to saline stress. The objective of this study was to evaluate the action of discontinuous hydration cycles with different salt stress tolerance elicitors on germination, growth, and osmotic adjustment of maize cultivars. Maize seeds of BR 206 and BRS 5037 Cruzeta cultivars were subjected to the following treatments: 0.0 mmol of NaCl (control), 250 mmol of NaCl (salt stress), salt stress + three discontinuous hydration cycles (DHCs) of seeds in water, salt stress + DHCs with gibberellic acid, salt stress + DHCs with hydrogen peroxide, salt stress + DHCs with salicylic acid, and salt stress + DHCs with ascorbic acid. Salt stress reduced the germination, growth, and biomass accumulation in maize seedlings—the BR 206 cultivar outperformed BRS 5037 Cruzeta. Discontinuous hydration cycles with water failed to improve the salt stress tolerance of maize seeds. However, discontinuous hydration cycles with gibberellic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and salicylic acid promoted salt stress tolerance in maize due to increased synthesis of osmoprotectants. Our results revealed salicylic acid is appropriate for discontinuous hydration cycles in maize seeds.

Keywords: Zea mays L.; salicylic acid; gibberellic acid; H 2 O 2; salinity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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