Sonia Nazir1, Zahida Parveen2, Maryam Nasir3, and Ayesha Farooq Cheema4
1Department of Botany, Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan 2Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan 3Department of Botany, Mirpur university of science and technology (MUST), Mirpur Bhimber campus 4Department of Plant Breeding & Genetics, College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: ayeshafarooqcheema8@gmail.com
Maize (Zea mays) is a grass broadly cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain and it is a global staple food. However, water shortage poses a serious threat to its production globally. Drought stress negatively affects the growth and development of maize leading to, less germination, diminished grain yield and quality. The experiment was performed in a wire house of the department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur. Six maize genotypes were screened for drought at various levels along with foliar application of proline during the seedling stage using complete randomize design (CRD). The major traits chlorophyll contents, shoot length, root length, fresh shoot weight, dry root weight, fresh root weight and dry root weight traits were studied. The best genotype G2 (P-1429) showed minimum reduction percentage in traits under the stress condition of drought as compared to normal condition. The best genotype G1 (P1-543) showed minimum reduction percentage in traits under the stress condition of drought along with Foliar Application of Proline. The results show that Foliar Application of Proline poses positive significant effect and reduces the negative effect of drought stress on the growth of maize seedling under drought stress. Keeping in view these genotype performances, we can increase the yield by using this Breeding material from above screening genotypes of maize under drought stress and overcome the challenge of drought in Agriculture sector of Pakistan.