Photosynthetic Performance and Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes Induced by Seed Priming in Maize Plants

Maize plants are often exposed to unfavourable environmental conditions - abiotic factors which limits their development and productivity. Priming of seeds pre-sowing is a low cost, low risk and very simple method for the farmers to improve germination, seedling emergence, growth and yield of plants especially under adverse environmental conditions. The present study revealed effects of different seed priming treatments on proline, total phenols, carbohydrates, chlorophylls and carotenoids content and antioxidant enzyme activities of maize leaves. The results showed that priming with basil oil, CaCl2 and SA increased chlorophylls and carotenoids content improved tolerance to abiotic stress of maize plants. However only seeds treatment with SA and CaCl2 increased activities of antioxidant enzymes (CAT, POX and PPO). These effects were significantly positively correlated with the accumulation of proline and soluble sugars, which can alleviate oxidative membrane damage increased stress tolerance of maize plants. The results suggest that SA and calcium chloride application enhanced stress tolerance in maize plants and could be involved in the scavenging of ROS by increasing SOD and CAT activities. The study revealed that pre-sowing seeds treatments can be successfully used to improve the performance of different maize cultivars/hybrids by increasing the physiological resistance to abiotic stresses.