Effects of Nitrogen Application on Chlorophyll Content, Water Relations, and Yield of Maize Hybrids under Saline Conditions

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to assess whether accumulation of photosynthetic pigments, proline, and maintenance of water relation attributes relate to the yield of maize hybrids differing in salt tolerance. Two maize hybrids, Pioneer32B33 and Dekalb979, were grown at three salinity levels under four nitrogen treatments. The experiment was laid out in a three-factor randomized complete block design and there were three replications of each treatment. Salt stress significantly decreased leaf chlorophyll a and a/b contents, whereas chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll were slightly increased. Under salinity stress, relative water content decreased, and water potential and osmotic potential become more negative. As a result, turgor potential also decreased. Nitrogen application improved all the chlorophyll pigments, water-related attributes, and yield components. However, chlorophyll a/b ratio was decreased. Overall, because of the differential response of maize hybrids to salt stress in terms of their performance in photosynthetic pigments, water relations, and yield, it can be concluded that hybrid Pioneer32B33 might perform better, if grown under salinity regime and sufficient nitrogen was applied in the growth medium.