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Combined Action of Salicylic Acid and Thiourea Alleviated Heat Stress in Maize by Stimulating Varied Antioxidant Response in Tissues

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Abstract

The combined effect of salicylic acid (SA) and thiourea (TU) on antioxidative response was determined in maize (Zea mays L.) exposed to high temperature stress. Among the varied concentrations used, 200 µM SA + 9 mM TU improved seedling growth in CML 32 (relatively tolerant towards high temperature) and LM 11 (relatively susceptible towards high temperature) genotypes. The increased activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and glutathione reductase (GR) in the roots of CML 32 and shoots of LM 11 seedlings may indicate that SA + TU application induced Halliwell-Asada pathway in these tissues. It might be also suggested that H2O2 detoxification was primarily carried out by SA + TU induced catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POX) activities in the roots of LM 11 and shoots of CML 32 seedlings. With foliar spray of SA + TU, proline content increased in roots of both the genotypes that might help the maize genotypes in combating heat stress by maintaining osmotic adjustments or by acting as an antioxidant. The contents of H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) decreased in the roots and shoots of foliar sprayed seedlings of both the genotypes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Punjab Agricultural University, 141004, Ludhiana, India

    P. Parmar & K. Kaur

  2. Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Punjab Agricultural University, 141004, Ludhiana, India

    G. Kaur

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  1. P. Parmar
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Correspondence to K. Kaur.

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Conflict of interests. The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Statement on the welfare of humans or animals. This article does not contain any studies involving animals performed by any of the authors.

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Abbreviations: APX—ascorbate peroxidase; CAT—catalase; GR—glutathione reductase; POX—peroxidase; SA—salicylic acid; SOD—superoxide dismutase; TU—thiourea.

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Parmar, P., Kaur, K. & Kaur, G. Combined Action of Salicylic Acid and Thiourea Alleviated Heat Stress in Maize by Stimulating Varied Antioxidant Response in Tissues. Russ J Plant Physiol 68, 463–473 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S1021443721030158

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