Ayesha Khawar, Muhammad Abu Bakar Ghalib, Muhammad Bilal2, Muhammad Talha Ramzan3, Muhammad Shaban4, Muneeb-ur-Rahman5, Muhammad Saad Rubbani3, Muhammad Saleem6, Zainab Khawar7 and Zain Ul Abideen8
1Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan; 2State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China; 3Department of Agronomy University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan; 4Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Burewala campus), Pakistan; 5State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro-Ecosystems, College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730020, China; 6Department of Life Sciences Khawaja Fareed University of Information and Technology, Pakistan; 7Faculty of Agriculture University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Pakistan; 8Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture & Environment, Islamia, University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
*Corresponding author: abubakarghalibpbg@gmail.com
Major abiotic stressors on maize (Zea mays L.) production are drought and salinity stress, so tolerant genotypes are needed. Under drought and salt, this study examined the morphological reactions of two maize genotypes, Gohar-19 and Pop-1. Under drought, Gohar-19 displayed a growth maintenance strategy marked by better root elongation, consistent shoot development, and increased plant vigor, therefore implying a greater potential for osmotic adjustment and antioxidant defense. Indicative of greater Osmo protectant accumulation and stress-adaptive metabolism, Pop-1 followed a biomass retention strategy under salinity and displayed higher fresh and dried weight, and improved water retention. Principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis verified the several stress-adaptation strategies; Gohar-19 clustering with growth-related traits under drought and Pop-1 aligning with biomass conservation traits under salinity. These results provide important new perspectives for breeding initiatives aiming at producing maize varieties with increased tolerance to certain abiotic stresses since they highlight genotype-specific resilience mechanisms.