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Osmolytes and metal ions accumulation, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes activity as determinants of salinity stress tolerance in maize genotypes

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Abstract

Effect of soil salinity was studied in two maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes, DTP-w-c 9 (comparatively tolerant) and Prabhat (susceptible) under control and three levels of salinity at vegetative and anthesis stages during summer–rainy season. Salinity stress decreased relative water content (RWC), chlorophyll (Chl) and carotenoid (Car) contents, membrane stability index (MSI), potassium (K+) and calcium (Ca2+) contents, and increased the rate of superoxide radical (O ·−2 ) production, contents of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (measure of lipid peroxidation), proline, glycine-betaine, total soluble sugars, sodium (Na+), and Na+/K+ and Na+/Ca2+ ratios in both the genotypes. Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) increased up to S2 salinity level in both the genotypes, and up to highest salinity level (S3) in DTP-w-c 9 at the two stages. Salinity-induced decrease in RWC, Chl, Car, MSI, K+ and Ca2+ was significantly greater in Prabhat, which also recorded higher Na+ content and Na+/K+ and Na+/Ca2+ ratios than DTP-w-c 9. DTP-w-c 9 recorded higher contents of proline, glycine-betaine, total soluble sugars, K+, Ca2+, activity of SOD, APX, CAT, GR, and comparatively lower O ·−2 , H2O2 and TBARS contents compared to Prabhat. Results show that salinity tolerance of DTP-w-c 9, as manifested by less decrease in RWC, Chl, Car and MSI, is associated with maintenance of adequate levels of K+ and Ca2+, greater contents of osmolytes, higher antioxidant enzymes activity, and lower O ·−2 , H2O2, TBARS and Na+ contents than Prabhat.

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Abbreviations

APX:

Ascorbate peroxidase

CAT:

Catalase

Chl:

Chlorophyll

Car:

Carotenoid

DAA:

Days after anthesis

DAS:

Days after sowing

DTNB:

5,5′-Dithio-bis-2-nitrobenzoic acid

GB:

Glycine-betaine

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSSG:

Glutathione disulfide (oxidized glutathione)

MSI:

Membrane stability index

NBT:

Nitro blue tetrazolium chloride

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

RWC:

Relative water content

SOD:

Superoxide dismutase

TBARS:

Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances

TNB:

2-Nitro-5-thiobenzoic acid

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Acknowledgments

Jana Kholova gratefully acknowledges the financial support provided by the Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic for overseas study tour, Director and Dean of Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi for waiving the training and bench fee, and all the staff members and students of the Division of Plant Physiology for their help and cooperation during the course of training and project research work.

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  1. Jana Kholova

    Present address: Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 5, 12843, Prague 2, Czech Republic

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Plant Physiology, Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi, 110012, India

    Jana Kholova, Raj Kumar Sairam & Ramesh C. Meena

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  1. Jana Kholova
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  2. Raj Kumar Sairam
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  3. Ramesh C. Meena
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Correspondence to Raj Kumar Sairam.

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Communicated by G. Bartosz.

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Kholova, J., Sairam, R.K. & Meena, R.C. Osmolytes and metal ions accumulation, oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes activity as determinants of salinity stress tolerance in maize genotypes. Acta Physiol Plant 32, 477–486 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-009-0424-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11738-009-0424-y

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