4TH International Congress on Technology - Engineering & SCIENCE - Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia (2017-08-05)

Effect Of Sulfur Application On Ionic Contents And Compatible Osmolytes Of Maize (zea Mays L.) Under Saline Conditions
Mineral nutrients have favourable potential in alleviation salinity problem in plants. Sulfur has specific functions in regulating plant growth, metabolism and enzymatic reactions and nutrient homeostasis in plants. Hence, an experiment was carried out to explore the role of sulfur in ameliorating salt toxicity in maize by changes in ionic contents. A range of sulfur levels (40, 60, 80 mM) were used to induce salinity tolerance in maize and the determinations were made for various inorganic osmolytes. Various treatments of salinity (25, 50, 75 mM) were applied by using sodium chloride. Results revealed that plants applied to 75 mM sodium chloride levels caused a significant reduction in inorganic osmolyte contents in leaf, shoot and root of maize plants. Although all the applied sulfur levels (60 and 80 mM) were effective in enhancing most of these attributes, 40 mM level was more effective. Applied salinity increased leaf tissue concentration of Na+ and decreased that of K+,Ca2+, NO3-, PO43-, SO42- leading to a severely declined K+/Na and Ca2+/Na+ ratio. Applied sulfur levels reduced the Na+ contents and improved K+, Ca2+, NO3-, PO43-, SO42-, K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ ratio in the salinity grown plants. Here again, 40 mM level was greatly effective in bringing all the changes in the tissue ionic status and compatible osmolytes. This indicated that use of sulfur (40 mM) ameliorated the effect of salinity by improving ionic and compatible osmolyte contents in maize plants.
Keywords: Maize, Sulfur, Salinity, Ions, Osmolytes

Alia Riffat