Glycine-betaine induced salinity tolerance in maize by regulating the physiological attributes, antioxidant defense system and ionic homeostasis

Abstract

The plants are exposed to different abiotic stresses, including the salinity stress (SS) that negatively affect the growth, metabolism, physiological and biochemical processes. Thus, this study investigated the effect of diverse levels of foliar-applied GB (0 control, 50 mM and 100 mM) on maize growth, membrane stability, physiological and biochemical attributes, antioxidant enzymes and nutrients accumulation under different levels of SS (i.e., control, 6 dS m-1, 12 dS m-1). Salt stress diminished the root and shoot length, root and shoot biomass, chlorophyll contents, photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), relative water contents (RWC), soluble proteins (SP) and free amino acids; (FAA); and increased activities of antioxidant enzymes, electrical conductivity (EC) and accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), Na+ and Cl− ions. GB application significantly increased root and shoot growth, leaves per plant, shoots length, chlorophyll contents, gs, Pn and membrane stability by reducing MDA and H2O2 accumulation. Moreover, GB also increased the SP, FAA accumulation, activities of antioxidant enzymes and Na+ and Cl- exclusion by favouring Ca2+ and K+ accumulation. In conclusion, the foliar-applied GB increased Pn, gs, ant-oxidants activities, and accumulation of SP and FAA; and reduced the accretion of Na+ and Cl− by favouring the Ca2+ and K+ accretion which in turns improved growth under SS.

Integrated Application of Selenium and Silicon Enhances Growth and Anatomical Structure, Antioxidant Defense System and Yield of Wheat Grown in Salt-Stressed Soil

“…This might be the reason for the reduction of the stomatal conductance in salt-stressed wheat plants. Under salt-stress conditions, organic osmolytes (osmoprotectants) can assist the plant cells in adapting to the osmosis and can establish a gradient of osmosis to regulate the ability of plants’ water uptake [ 60 , 61 , 85 ]. In the current investigation, an increment in the accumulation of TSS and proline in response to both Se and Si and their combinations could have participated in the mediation of plant water conditions and the hydraulic conductivity during salinity stress.…”

Mitigation of Salinity-Induced Oxidative Damage, Growth, and Yield Reduction in Fine Rice by Sugarcane Press Mud Application

“…Salinity negatively affects crop production and causes huge yield and economic losses; therefore, proper strategies must be adopted to reduce salinity stress on crops and protect the soils from the devastating impacts of salinity stress ( Mohanavelu et al, 2021 ; Monsur et al, 2022 ). Salinity stress is a complex process that negatively affects the plant’s physiological and biochemical processes ( Dustgeer et al, 2021 ; Sultan et al, 2021 ). The effects of salt ranged from seed germination to flowering and fruiting settings, which resultantly caused significant yield losses ( Mbarki et al, 2020 ; El Sabagh et al, 2021 ).…”

Exogenously Applied Trehalose Augments Cadmium Stress Tolerance and Yield of Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) Grown in Soil and Hydroponic Systems through Reducing Cd Uptake and Enhancing Photosynthetic Efficiency and Antioxidant Defense Systems

“…Moreover, Cd stress negatively affects the mineral uptake, transpiration rate and stomatal conductance [ 12 ]. Cd-induced injury is related to oxidative stress which causes damages to protein, DNA and lipids [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 ], and eventually leads to plant death [ 10 ]. However, plants respond to that and reduce the damages of heavy metals stress through activating their diverse enzymatic and non-enzymatic anti-oxidants and the accumulation of various osmolytes [ 10 ].…”