Exogenously applied zinc and copper mitigate salinity effect in maize (Zea mays L.) by improving key physiological and biochemical attributes

• Published in: Environmental science and pollution research international Vol. 25; no. 24; pp. 23883 - 23896
• Main Authors: Iqbal, Muhammad Naveed, Rasheed, Rizwan, Ashraf, Muhammad Yasin, Ashraf, Muhammad Arslan, Hussain, Iqbal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2018; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: agricultural soils; Amino acids; Amino Acids - metabolism; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - metabolism; Aquatic Pollution; Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution; betaine; biochemical pathways; calcium; Conductance; Copper; Copper - pharmacology; Corn; Cultivars; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecotoxicology; Environment; Environmental Chemistry; Environmental Health; Environmental science; enzyme activity; Enzymes - metabolism; foliar application; Foliar applications; free amino acids; Glycine; Glycine betaine; growing media; hybrids; iron; Manganese; Metals - metabolism; Nitrate reductase; nutrient deficiencies; Nutrient deficiency; Nutrition; Photosynthesis; Photosynthesis - drug effects; Physiological effects; Physiology; Plant Leaves - drug effects; Plant Leaves - metabolism; Plants (botany); potassium; Proline; Proline - metabolism; Research Article; Resistance; Salinity; Salinity effects; Salinity tolerance; salt stress; Salt Tolerance; Salts; sodium; Sodium - metabolism; Sodium chloride; Stomata; Stomatal conductance; Sugar; sugars; Transpiration; Turgor; Waste Water Technology; Water - metabolism; Water Management; Water Pollution Control; Water relations; Zea mays; Zea mays - chemistry; Zea mays - drug effects; Zea mays - physiology; Zinc; Zinc - pharmacology; Nutrient relation; Total free amino acids; Oxidative defense; Zinc deficiency; Osmotic adjustment; Sugars
• ISSN: 0944-1344; 1614-7499; 1614-7499
• DOI: 10.1007/s11356-018-2383-6

Zinc or copper deficiency and salinity are known soil problems and often occur simultaneously in agriculture soils. Plants undergo various changes in physiological and biochemical processes to respond to high salt in the growing medium. There is lack of information on the relation of exogenous application of Zn and Cu with important salinity tolerance mechanisms in plants. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of foliar Zn and Cu on two maize cultivars (salt-tolerant cv. Yousafwala Hybrid and salt-sensitive cv. Hybrid 1898). Salinity caused a significant reduction in water and turgor potentials, stomatal conductance, and transpiration and photosynthetic rate, while increase in glycine betaine, proline, total soluble sugars, and total free amino acids was evident in plants under saline regimes. Furthermore, there was significant decline in P, N, Ca, K, Mn, Fe, Zn, and Cu and increase in Na and Cl contents in plants fed with NaCl salinity. Nitrate reductase activity was lower in salt-stressed plants. However, foliar application of Zn and Cu circumvented salinity effect on water relations, photosynthesis, and nutrition and this was attributed to the better antioxidant system and enhanced accumulation of glycine betaine, proline, total free amino acids, and sugars. The results of the present study suggested that Zn application was superior to Cu for mediating plant defense responses under salinity.