Effect of zinc foliar application on auxin and gibberellin hormones and catalase and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity of corn (Zea mays L) under water stress

Abstract

To study the effects of zinc foliar application and water stress on quantitative and qualitative characteristics of corn, an experiment was conducted in Varamin, Iran during the growing season of 2011. The experimental design was randomized complete blocks in factorial arrangement with four replications. Factors included water stress (complete irrigation, irrigation after 90 mm of water evaporation and irrigation after 130 mm of water evaporation from class A pan) and the zinc foliar applications were as follows: 0, zinc sulfate and zinc chelate. Result showed that severe water stress decreased seed yield, oil percentage, chlorophyll content, relative water content, zinc grain content, auxin and gibberellin, and it caused an increase in antioxidant enzyme activity. Zinc foliar application increased all tested attributes under severe water stress. The results of these tests showed that zinc foliar application was effective against the detrimental effects of water stress.