Exogenous Melatonin Alleviates NaCl Injury by Influencing Stomatal Morphology, Photosynthetic Performance, and Antioxidant Balance in Maize.

ABSTRACT: Maize (Zea mays L.) is sensitive to salt stress, especially during seed germination and seedling morphogenesis, which limits maize growth and productivity formation. As a novel recognized plant hormone, melatonin (MT) participates in multiple growth and developmental processes and mediates biotic/abiotic stress responses, yet the effects of salt stress on maize seedlings remain unclear. Herein, we investigated the effects of 150 μM exogenous MT on multiple phenotypes and physiologic metabolisms in three-leaf seedlings across eight maize inbred lines under 180 mM NaCl salt stress, including growth parameters, stomatal morphology, photosynthetic metabolisms, antioxidant enzyme activities, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Meanwhile, the six gene expression levels controlling antioxid

SUBMITTER: He F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11432274 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature