Skip to main content
Log in

Water stress effects on maize: Carbohydrate metabolism of resistant and susceptible cultivars ofZea mays L.

  • Original Papers
  • Published:
Biologia Plantarum

Abstract

Carbohydrate changea in drought resistant and susceptible cultivars ofZea mays L. were studied at two different stages under imposed water stress in water culture experiments. The gradual decline in total carbohydrates with increasing stress levels was observed. At the 1st leaf stage starch content of the resistant cv. Agati-76 was lower than that of susceptible cv. Vijay but the reducing and non-reducing sugar content was much higher. At the 3rd leaf stage starch content was similar in two cultivars but sugar content was higher in the resistant cv. Agati-76. Differential changes in root and shoot carbohydrates as affected by increasing levels of stress were noticed. Carbohydrate changes have been discussed in relation to drought resistance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Arnon, D. I., Hoagland, D. R.: Crop production in artificial solutions and soils with special reference to factors influencing yields and absorption of inorganic nutrients. — Soil Sci.50: 463–484, 1940.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Boyer, J. S.: Effects of osmotio water stress on metabolic rates of cotton plants with open stomata. — Plant Physiol.40: 229–234, 1965.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brix, H.: The effect of water stress on the rates of photosynthesis and respiration in tomato plants and loblolly pine seedlings. — Physiol. Plant.15: 10–20, 1962.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Charles, C. A., Todd, G. W.: Ribonucleotide compositional changes in wheat leaves by water stress. — Crop. Sci.8: 319–321, 1968.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eaton, F. M., Ergle, D. R.: Carbohydrate accumulation in the cotton plants at low moisture levels. — Plant Physiol.23: 169–187, 1948.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hanson, A. D., Nelson, C. E., Everson, E. H.: Evaluation of free proline accumulation as an index of drought resistance using two contrasting barley cultivars. — Crop. Sci.17: 720 to 726, 1977.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henckel, P. A.: Role of protein in drought resistance. — Can. J. Bot.48: 1235–1241, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • Iljin, W. S.: Drought resistance in plants and physiological processes. — Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol.8: 257–272, 1957.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mali, P. C., Mehta, S. L.: Effect of drought on enzymes and free proline in rice varieties. — Phytochemistry16: 1355–1358, 1977.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marnville, J. W., Paulsen, G. M.: Alterations of carbohydrate composition of corn (Zea mays L.) seedlings during moisture stress. — Agron. J.62: 605–608, 1970.

    Google Scholar 

  • O’Toole, J. C., Ozbun, J. L., Wallace, D. H.: Photosynthetic responses to water stress inPhaseolus vulgaris. — Physiol. Plant.40: 111–114, 1977.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pasternak, D., Wilson, G. L.: Photosynthesis and transpiration in the heads of droughted grain sorghum. — Aust. J. exp. Agr. anim. Husb.16: 72–75, 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, L. D.: Removing and analysing total non-structural cyrbohydrate from plant tissue. — Wisconsin agr. exp. Res. Rep. No.41, 1969.

  • Somogyi, M.: A new reagent for the determination of sugars. — J. biol. Chem.160: 61–68, 1945.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spoehr, H. A., Milner, H. W.: Starch dissolution and amylolytic activity of leaves. — Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc.81: 37–38, 1939.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, C. R.: Effect of wilting on carbohydrates during incubation of excised bean leaves in the dark. — Plant Physiol.48: 792–794, 1971.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stewart, C. R., Morris, C. J., Thomson, J. F.: Changes in amino aoid content of excised leaves during incubation. II Role of sugar in the accumulation of proline in wilted leaves. — Plant Physiol.41: 1585–1590, 1966.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thakur, P. S.: Studies on basic growth behaviour and protein metabolism under water stress inZea mays L. — Thesis, Himachal Pradesh University, Simla1978.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vaadia, Y., Raney, R. C., Hagan, R. M.: Plant water deficits and physiological processes. — Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol.8: 257–272, 1961.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wadleigh, C. H., Ayers, A. D.: Growth and biochemical composition of bean plants as conditioned by soil moisture tension and salt concentration. — Plant Physiol.20: 106–132, 1945.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wager, H. G.: The effect of artificial wilting on the sugar content and respiration rate of maturing green peas. — New Phytol.53: 354–363, 1954.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wardlaw, I. F.: The effect of water stress on translocation in relation to photosynthesis and growth: 1. Effect during grain development in wheat. — Aust. J. biol. Sci.20: 25–39, 1967.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wiggans, S. C., Gardner, F. C.: Effectiveness of various solutions for simulating drought conditions as measured by germination and seedling growth. — Agron. J.51: 315–318, 1959.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • William, G. C., Cox, G. M.: Experimental Designs. — John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York 1957.

    Google Scholar 

  • Woodhams, D. H., Kozlowski, T. T.: Effect of soil moisture on carbohydrate development and growth in plant. — Amer. J. Bot.41: 316–320, 1954.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Thakur, P.S., Rai, V.K. Water stress effects on maize: Carbohydrate metabolism of resistant and susceptible cultivars ofZea mays L.. Biol Plant 22, 50–56 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02878127

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02878127

Keywords

Navigation