The Early Growth of Maize Under Waterlogging Stress, as Measured by Growth, Biochemical, and Molecular Characteristics

An effective strategy to address the impacts of climate change on maize involves early planting, which mitigates drought stress during critical growth phases, preventing yield reductions. The research assessed two maize inbred lines (sensitive and tolerant to low temperature) under conditions of wat...

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Main Authors: Ana Nikolić, Manja Božić, Nikola Delić, Ksenija Marković, Marija Milivojević, Zoran Čamdžija, Dragana Ignjatović Micić
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-01-01
Series:Biology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/2/111
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author Ana Nikolić
Manja Božić
Nikola Delić
Ksenija Marković
Marija Milivojević
Zoran Čamdžija
Dragana Ignjatović Micić
author_facet Ana Nikolić
Manja Božić
Nikola Delić
Ksenija Marković
Marija Milivojević
Zoran Čamdžija
Dragana Ignjatović Micić
author_sort Ana Nikolić
collection DOAJ
description An effective strategy to address the impacts of climate change on maize involves early planting, which mitigates drought stress during critical growth phases, preventing yield reductions. The research assessed two maize inbred lines (sensitive and tolerant to low temperature) under conditions of waterlogging stress. This is crucial since early sowing often faces both low temperatures and heavy rain. Morphological, biochemical, and molecular responses were recorded after 24 h, 72 h, and 7 days of stress during the growth stage of 5-day-old seedlings. The findings indicated a more pronounced decline in all morphological characteristics in the sensitive line. Both genotypes displayed an increased root-to-shoot ratio, suggesting that the shoots deteriorate more rapidly than the roots. Physiological evaluations demonstrated that the tolerant line was more effective in managing ROS levels compared to the sensitive line. The involvement of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> in aerenchyma formation implies that the decreased POD activity and elevated MDA levels observed after seven days may be associated with aerenchyma development in the tolerant line. Genes essential for PSII function revealed that waterlogging adversely affected photosynthesis in the sensitive genotype. In summary, the low-temperature tolerant genotype exhibited significant resilience to waterlogging, indicating potential interaction between the pathways governing these two abiotic stressors.
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spelling doaj-art-9cc69bd9b29b4283b985441a97f9ed572025-08-20T03:12:05ZengMDPI AGBiology2079-77372025-01-0114211110.3390/biology14020111The Early Growth of Maize Under Waterlogging Stress, as Measured by Growth, Biochemical, and Molecular CharacteristicsAna Nikolić0Manja Božić1Nikola Delić2Ksenija Marković3Marija Milivojević4Zoran Čamdžija5Dragana Ignjatović Micić6Maize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”, Slobodana Bajića 1, 11185 Belgrade, SerbiaMaize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”, Slobodana Bajića 1, 11185 Belgrade, SerbiaFaculty of Biology, University of Belgrade, Studentski trg 16, 11158 Belgrade, SerbiaMaize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”, Slobodana Bajića 1, 11185 Belgrade, SerbiaMaize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”, Slobodana Bajića 1, 11185 Belgrade, SerbiaMaize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”, Slobodana Bajića 1, 11185 Belgrade, SerbiaMaize Research Institute “Zemun Polje”, Slobodana Bajića 1, 11185 Belgrade, SerbiaAn effective strategy to address the impacts of climate change on maize involves early planting, which mitigates drought stress during critical growth phases, preventing yield reductions. The research assessed two maize inbred lines (sensitive and tolerant to low temperature) under conditions of waterlogging stress. This is crucial since early sowing often faces both low temperatures and heavy rain. Morphological, biochemical, and molecular responses were recorded after 24 h, 72 h, and 7 days of stress during the growth stage of 5-day-old seedlings. The findings indicated a more pronounced decline in all morphological characteristics in the sensitive line. Both genotypes displayed an increased root-to-shoot ratio, suggesting that the shoots deteriorate more rapidly than the roots. Physiological evaluations demonstrated that the tolerant line was more effective in managing ROS levels compared to the sensitive line. The involvement of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> in aerenchyma formation implies that the decreased POD activity and elevated MDA levels observed after seven days may be associated with aerenchyma development in the tolerant line. Genes essential for PSII function revealed that waterlogging adversely affected photosynthesis in the sensitive genotype. In summary, the low-temperature tolerant genotype exhibited significant resilience to waterlogging, indicating potential interaction between the pathways governing these two abiotic stressors.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/2/111maizeclimate changewaterloggingROSphotosynthesis
spellingShingle Ana Nikolić
Manja Božić
Nikola Delić
Ksenija Marković
Marija Milivojević
Zoran Čamdžija
Dragana Ignjatović Micić
The Early Growth of Maize Under Waterlogging Stress, as Measured by Growth, Biochemical, and Molecular Characteristics
Biology
maize
climate change
waterlogging
ROS
photosynthesis
title The Early Growth of Maize Under Waterlogging Stress, as Measured by Growth, Biochemical, and Molecular Characteristics
title_full The Early Growth of Maize Under Waterlogging Stress, as Measured by Growth, Biochemical, and Molecular Characteristics
title_fullStr The Early Growth of Maize Under Waterlogging Stress, as Measured by Growth, Biochemical, and Molecular Characteristics
title_full_unstemmed The Early Growth of Maize Under Waterlogging Stress, as Measured by Growth, Biochemical, and Molecular Characteristics
title_short The Early Growth of Maize Under Waterlogging Stress, as Measured by Growth, Biochemical, and Molecular Characteristics
title_sort early growth of maize under waterlogging stress as measured by growth biochemical and molecular characteristics
topic maize
climate change
waterlogging
ROS
photosynthesis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/14/2/111
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