Integration of physiological and molecular analyses reveals that a plant-based biostimulant delays drought-induced leaf senescence & improves maize yield.
Kanojia A, Sujeeth N, Gupta S, Alseekh S, Petrov V
Crop Improvement
A natural plant extract could help the corn in drought-stressed farming regions stay productive longer — meaning more food from the same field even when rain doesn't come.
When corn plants face drought, their leaves age and die early, cutting off the food supply to developing cobs before they can fully fill out. Scientists tested a natural spray made from plant extracts and found it dramatically slowed this early aging process. Treated plants kept their leaves working longer, stayed better protected against stress damage, and ultimately grew heavier, more developed corn cobs.
Key Findings
APS-primed maize showed delayed drought-induced leaf senescence at the reproductive stage, directly improving cob weight and yield under water deficit.
Treated plants maintained active photosynthesis and carbon metabolism, with enriched expression of photosynthesis-related genes and elevated tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites.
APS priming suppressed key senescence and protein-breakdown genes (NYC1, NYE1, SAG39, NAC042) while boosting protective compounds like proline, trehalose, and myo-inositol and reducing stress hormones abscisic acid and ethylene.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A plant-derived biostimulant called AgriPrime Stimulus (APS) helps maize plants survive drought by delaying the early leaf die-off that normally tanks crop yields. Treated plants kept their leaves greener and productive longer, resulting in heavier corn cobs under water-stress conditions.
Abstract Preview
Drought-induced senescence is a major cause of maize yield loss. While biostimulant priming improves stress tolerance, its molecular basis is unclear. Here we demonstrate that priming maize with th...
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Maize, also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. The leafy stalk of the plant gives rise to male inflorescences or tassels which produce pollen, and female inflorescences called ears. The ears yield grain, known as kernels or seeds. In modern ...