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Pak. J. Bot., 48(3): 907-915, 2016.

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INDUCTION OF DROUGHT TOLERANCE IN ZEA MAYS L. BY FOLIAR APPLICATION OF TRIACONTANOL

SHAGUFTA PERVEEN^*, MUHAMMAD IQBAL, ATTIA NAWAZ, ABIDA PARVEEN AND SAQIB MAHMOOD

Abstract: In the present study, we assessed the effect of foliar application of triacontanol (TRIA) on various growth and physiochemical parameters of two maize (Zea mays L.) cultivars (cv. MMRI-Yellow and cv. Hybrid S-515) under different irrigation levels i.e., normal watering (control) and watering at 60% of the field capacity (drought). Seeds of the two maize cultivars were sown in plastic pots filled with sandy loam soil (2 kg in each). Foliar application of TRIA (0, 2 and 5 µM) was performed after two weeks of drought stress to 28-day-old plants. Data of 58-day-old maize plants was collected for analysis of various growth and physiochemical attributes. Drought stress significantly decreased growth and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity while increased the activities of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) and the contents of total phenolics, total soluble proteins, glycinebetaine (GB) and free proline. Foliar treatment with TRIA further increased CAT and POD activities whereas decreased the contents of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), malondialdehyde (MDA), total phenolics and GB in the maize plants when under drought stress. Of the two maize cultivars, cv. MMRI-Yellow excelled the growth under both normal and drought stress (60% of the field capacity). Overall, TRIA (5 µM) was much more effective in modulating various growth and physiochemical attributes, and thus improving drought tolerance in maize plants.

Key words: Triacontanol, Maize, Drought, Chlorophyll, Antioxidants.
 

Department of Botany, Government College University, Faisalabad-38000, Pakistan

^*Corresponding author’s email: perveens1@yahoo.com