Responses of photosynthetic characteristics and leaf senescence in summer maize to simultaneous stresses of waterlogging and shading

A field experiment was performed to investigate the physiological mechanism of the simultaneous stresses of waterlogging and shading on leaf photosynthetic and senescence during three growth stages of summer maize. The responses of leaf gas exchange parameters and antioxidant enzyme activities of the summer maize hybrids Denghai 605 (DH605) to waterlogging (W), shading (S), and their combination (W + S) for 6 days at the third leaf stage (V3), the sixth leaf stage (V6), and the tasseling stage (VT) were recorded. Shading, waterlogging, and their combination disturbed the activities of protective enzymes and increased the contents of H2O2 and O2−, accelerating leaf senescence and disordering photosynthetic characteristics. Under waterlogging, shading and their combination, leaf Pn, the photo-assimilates and grain yield was decreased. The greatest reduction for waterlogging and the combined stresses occurred at V3 and that for shading stress occurred at VT. The individual and combined stresses reduced the activities of protective enzymes and inhibited photosynthesis, reducing the accumulation of photosynthetic compounds and thereby yield. Waterlogging and the combined stresses at the V3 stage showed the greatest effect on leaf photosynthetic and senescence, followed by the V6 and VT stages. The greatest effect for shading stress occurred at VT, followed by the V6 and V3 stages, and the combined influence of shading and waterlogging was greater than that of either single stress.