Abstract
Water scarcity is threatening productivity of crops throughout the globe. Different
osmoprotectants such as salicylic acid and ascorbic acid have potential to mitigate the
harmful effects of water deficit. Current study was conducted to examine the possible
role of salicylic acid and ascorbic acid individually and in combination in improving
the yield and yield components of maize (Zea mays L.) exposed to drought at different
growth stages. Drought was imposed by skipping irrigation at two water sensitive crop
growth stages i.e. 6 fully expanded leaves (V6 as per Feekes scale) and initiation of
silking (R1 as per Feekes scale). Water deficit significantly decreased cob diameter
(19.2%), cob weight (13.8%), grain rows per cob (14.4%), cob length (12.8%), 1000-
grain weight (6.2%), stover yield (17.7%), grain yield (10.6%), biological yield (8.2)
as compared to normal irrigation. Drought imposed at R1 (as per Feekes scale) was
more lethal in terms of reduction in different yield and yield components including
1000-grain weight, grain yield and biological yield by 0.2, 6.9 and 0.9 %, respectively.
Exogenous application of combination of salicylic acid + ascorbic acid @ 0.5mM each
+ tween 20 (0.1%) applied at V6 stage (as per Feekes scale) was more effective in
mitigating the harmful effects of water deficit by improving cob diameter (6%)
biological yield (1%) and grain yield of maize (6.9%) as compared to drought imposed
at R1(as per Feekes scale).
Muhammad Qasim, Mudassir Aziz, Fahim Nawaz, Muhammad Arif. (2019) Role of salicylic acid and ascorbic acid in alleviating the harmful effects of water stress in Maize (Zea mays L.), Asian Journal of Agriculture and Biology, Volume 7, Issue 3.
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