Abstract Detail

Agronomy

Cheema, Mumtaz [1], Hussain, Babar [2], Saleem, Muhammad [3], Wahid, Muhammad [4], Farooq, Muhammad [4].

Thiourea improves drought resistance in maize by modulating water relations, nutrients and proline accumulation.

Drought is one of the major challenges hindering profitable maize production globally. Exogenous use of plant growth substances and osmoprotectants may help mitigate the drought-induced adversities. This study was conducted to evaluate the potential of exogenously applied thiourea (TU) in improving the performance of maize under drought. Two maize hybrids (drought sensitive and drought tolerant) were raised at -15KPa (well-watered), -30KPa (moderate drought), and -45KPa (severe drought); TU was applied as seed priming, foliar spray or their combination. Drought stress considerably repressed the water relations, nutrients uptake and proline accumulation but enhanced the lipid peroxidation. Nonetheless, TU application (seed priming + foliar application) substantially improved water relations (water potential, osmotic potential and relative water contents in leaves) proline, nutrient uptake (N, P, and K), and proline accumulation in maize. Proline, malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and Electrolyte leakage (EL) increased considerably with increasing stress and reduced significantly with TU treatment. Proline accumulation generally helped in maintaining cell water status, sub cellular structures, protecting membranes, and proteins from denaturing effect of osmotic stress. Electrolyte leakage and MDA contents indicate that membrane stability is disturbed under stressful conditions. In crux, TU treatment (seeds primed (@ 800 ppm and foliar application@1500 ppm at pre-tasseling) significantly improved water relations, nutrient uptake and proline accumulation over control and other TU treatments.

1 - Grenfell Campus Memorial University, 20 University drive, Corner Brook, Newfoundland and Labrador, A2H 7E1, Canada
2 - Ayub Agriculture Research Institute, Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab, 33040, Pakistan
3 - University of Agriculture, Agronomy, Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab, 33040, Pakistan
4 - University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab, 33040, Pakistan

Keywords:
drought stress
Thiourea
hybrids
Water relations
Nutrient accumulation
Proline accumulation
Lipid peroxidation
Electrolyte leakage.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Topics
Session: 62
Location: Salon 8/The Shaw Conference Centre
Date: Wednesday, July 29th, 2015
Time: 10:45 AM
Number: 62010
Abstract ID:415
Candidate for Awards:None