Integrative application of silicon and/or proline improves Sweet corn (Zea mays L. saccharata) production and antioxidant defense system under salt stress condition

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 13; no. 1; p. 18315
• Main Authors: Gou, Caiming, Huang, Qiulan, Rady, Mostafa M., Wang, Linghui, Ihtisham, Muhammad, El-awady, Hamada H., Seif, Mohamed, Alazizi, Esmail M. Y., Eid, Rania S. M., Yan, Kuan, Tahri, Walid, Li, Jia, Desoky, El-Sayed M., El-Sappah, Ahmed H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 25-10-2023; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/449; 704/172; Abiotic stress; Antioxidants; Ascorbic acid; Corn; Drinking water; Field tests; Glutathione; Humanities and Social Sciences; multidisciplinary; Photosynthetic pigments; Pigments; Plant growth; Proline; Saline soils; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Silicon; Vegetables; Water content; Zea mays
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45003-8

Silicon (Si) and/or proline (Pro) are natural supplements that are considered to induce plants' stress tolerance against various abiotic stresses. Sweet corn (
Zea mays
L. saccharata) production is severely afflicted by salinity stress. Therefore, two field tests were conducted to evaluate the potential effects of Si and/or Pro (6mM) used as seed soaking (SS) and/or foliar spray (FS) on Sweet corn plant growth and yield, physio-biochemical attributes, and antioxidant defense systems grown in a saline (EC = 7.14dS m
−1
) soil. The Si and/or Pro significantly increased growth and yield, photosynthetic pigments, free proline, total soluble sugars (TSS), K
+
/Na
+
ratios, relative water content (RWC), membrane stability index (MSI), α-Tocopherol (α-TOC), Ascorbate (AsA), glutathione (GSH), enzymatic antioxidants activities and other anatomical features as compared to controls. In contrast, electrolytes, such as SS and/or FS under salt stress compared to controls (SS and FS using tap water) were significantly decreased. The best results were obtained when SS was combined with FS via Si or Pro. These alterations are brought about by the exogenous application of Si and/or Pro rendering these elements potentially useful in aiding sweet corn plants to acclimate successfully to saline soil.