Abstract
Aluminum (Al) toxicity is directly related to acidic soils and substantially limits maize yield. Earlier studies using hormones and other substances to treat the seeds of various crops have been carried out with the aim of inducing tolerance to abiotic stress, especially chilling, drought and salinity. However, more studies regarding the effects of seed treatments on the induction of Al tolerance are necessary. In this study, two independent experiments were performed to determine the effect of ascorbic acid (AsA) seed treatment on the tolerance response of maize to acidic soil and Al stress. In the first experiment (greenhouse), the AsA seed treatment was tested in B73 (Al-sensitive genotype). This study demonstrates the potential of AsA for use as a pre-sowing seed treatment (seed priming) because this metabolite increased root and shoot growth under acidic and Al stress conditions. In the second test, the evidence from field experiments using an Al-sensitive genotype (Mo17) and an Al-tolerant genotype (DA) suggested that prior AsA seed treatment increased the growth of both genotypes. Enhanced productivity was observed for DA under Al stress after priming the seeds. Furthermore, the AsA treatment decreased the activity of oxidative stress-related enzymes in the DA genotype. In this study, remarkable effects using AsA seed treatment in maize were observed, demonstrating the potential future use of AsA in seed priming.
Highlights
Acidic soil constitutes an abiotic stress that significantly affects the yield of agricultural crops worldwide [1]
The ascorbic acid (AsA) treatment significantly (p < 0.05) improved the growth of the roots and shoots when germination occurred under Al stress (Fig 1)
The seeds treated with AsA and germinated in soil at pH 6.0 did not exhibit any difference in the lengths of the roots and shoots (12.0 cm and 6.0 cm, respectively) compared with those of the untreated seeds (12.5 cm and 6.8 cm, respectively) (Fig 2)
Summary
Acidic soil (pH < 5.5) constitutes an abiotic stress that significantly affects the yield of agricultural crops worldwide [1]. A striking characteristic of acidic soil is the presence of aluminum ions (Al3+), which trigger a series of symptoms known as aluminum (Al) toxicity syndrome in plants [2]. Al toxicity in acidic soils occurs as a result of excess hydrogen disrupting the crystal structure of soil particles, followed by the release of Al3+ ions, allowing them to attach to sites of cation exchange and substitute cationic nutrients, such as calcium [3]. It has been shown that Al may interfere with core-related processes in the cell, such as DNA synthesis [4] and cell division [5]. Al causes oxidative stress [6], reduces photosynthetic
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