Amelioration of Salt Stress in Maize (Zea mays L.) by Seed Treatments with Glutathione

Salinity stress is one of the abiotic stress factors which reduces the crop production, and threat to global world food security. There is need to reduce the deleterious effects of salts in soil or irrigation water to minimize yield losses. The present study aims to evaluate the role of glutathione in alleviating the negative effects of salt stress in maize seedlings under controlled laboratory conditions. The study was conducted in complete randomized block design in quadruplicates. One hundred surface sterilized seeds of maize (Zea mays L.) cv J 1007 were treated with water (hydration) and solutions of glutathione (GSH) 100 and 500 ppm for 12 hours followed by surface drying. The treated seeds were subjected to salt stress levels of 0, 50, 75 and 100 mM NaCl. Ten days old seedlings were assessed for percent germination, seedling vigour indices and total soluble sugars and proteins. The results showed that both hydration and glutathione treatments significantly enhanced percent germination, length of lamina and sheath, vigour index I and II, total soluble sugars and total soluble proteins content than control. The glutathione 500 ppm is found to be effective as seed treatment in ameliorating deleterious effects of salt stress in maize than hydration and GSH 100 ppm.