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MODULATION IN WATER RELATIONS, CHLOROPHYLL CONTENTS AND ANTIOXIDANTS ACTIVITY OF MAIZE BY FOLIAR PHOSPHORUS

APPLICATION UNDER DROUGHT STRESS

ZAHOOR AHMAD*¹, EJAZ AHMAD WARAICH¹, RASHID AHMAD¹ AND MUHAMMAD SHAHBAZ²

¹Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

² Department of Botany, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan.

^*Corresponding author’s email: zahoorahmadbwp@gmail.com

Abstract

A pot experiment was conducted to evaluate the foliar applied phosphorous on physiological and biochemical processes of maize under optimum moisture and drought conditions. The experiment was conducted in wire house Department of Agronomy, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan. Four maize hybrids viz., 6525, 32B33, 31P41 and Hycorn were used as to evaluate foliar effect of P @ 8 kg ha^-1 at 8^th leaf stage under normal and drought condition. The foliar applied P performed better than control treatments under normal and stress conditions. The foliar application of phosphorous @ 8 kg ha^-1 at 8^th leaf stage of maize increased the water relation, chlorophyll contents and antioxidant under well watered and stress conditions. The water stress decreased the physiological parameters such as water potential (24%), osmotic potential (65%) turgor potential (5.4%), total chlorophyll contents (36%) and total carotenoids (34.7%) as compared to non-stress. The biochemical parameters such as catalase, peroxidase and ascorbate peroxidase activity were increased by 68%, 79.7% and 57.3% respectively under water stress condition as compared to non-stress condition. The both drought tolerant hybrids of maize (6525 and 32B33) performed better than Hycorn and 31P41 under normal and water stress conditions. The study provides insight into that P regulate physiological and biochemical mechanisms responsible for improved drought tolerance in maize.

Key words: Drought stress, Foliar phosphorus, Water relations, Antioxidants activity, Maize.