Abstract: In order to determine the effects of osmotic adjustment in alleviating or eliminating saline stress damage,the changes of some osmosis-related indexes in the roots of seedlings of stress-tolerant maize variety Nongda108 were studied after the treatments of mixed seawater with freshwater by the different ratio combined with nitric oxide donor,sodium nitroprusside(SNP) . The results indicate: following seawater rate increases,the contents of free proline, relative water and methyldialdehyde and relative electroconductance rise respectively,but the contents of soluble sugar decline in the roots of seedlings. When the seawater content is not above twenty-five percent,and as well as,the SNP concentration rise,the contents of proline,methyldialdehyde and relative water and relative electroconductance increase respectively,but the contents of soluble sugar decrease. When the seawater content is more than twenty-five percent,exogenously applying the SNP with high concentration obviously decreases the contents of proline,soluble sugar and relative water,and reduces relative electroconductance,whereas notably enhancing contents of methyldialdehyde. This means the osmotic function of nitric oxide on roots is related to the stress degree in the surroundings. In general,higher concentration of nitric oxide may evidently mitigates the slight seawater stress,but lower concentration of nitric oxide help alleviating severe seawater stress.

Key words: Nitric oxide, Seawater stresses, Roots of maize seedlings, Osmotic adjustment

CLC Number: 

• S13.01