Maize (Zea mays L.) grains extract mitigates the deleterious effects of salt stress on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) growth and physiology

Influence of foliar application of maize grains extract (aqueous and alcoholic) on the nutrient acquisition, osmoprotectants accumulation, ROS-scavenging system, and endogenous phytohormones profile in salt-stressed plants has received no attention. Therefore, the current study, as a first report, was aimed to test the hypothesis that the maize grains extract (MGE) application may give an advantage to overcome salinity problems by altering these mechanisms. Phaseolus vulgaris L., cv. Paulista plants were grown in salty soils (EC = 7.43-7.51 dS m(-1)) with and without MGE applications as follows: both seeds and plants were treated by distilled water (MGE0), seeds soaked in MGE and plants sprayed with distilled water (MGEseeds), seeds soaked in distilled water and plants sprayed with MGE (MGEplants), as well as both seeds and plants were treated by MGE (MGEboth). MGE treatments protected plants against the deleterious effects of saline condition by improving growth and yield components, relative water content, membrane stability index, photosynthetic pigments content, soluble sugars, proline, N, P, K+, Ca2+, indole-3-acetic acid, gibberellic acid, cytokinins concentrations, K+/Na+ and Ca2+/Na+ ratios, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase activities, and glutathione, ascorbate contents. Therefore, MGE as environmental-friendly, sustainable and efficient strategy can reprogramme plant responses to mitigate the adverse effects of salinity stress.