Abstract
This study aimed to explore the protective effects of exogenous trehalose against salt stress in maize seedlings. Seven-day-old seedlings of the salt-tolerant maize variety Weike-70 were subjected to salinity stress using 150 mM NaCl, with or without trehalose treatment. Exogenous trehalose treatment increased the shoot weight, root weight, leaf area per plant, chlorophyll content, carotene content, polyphenol content, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and peroxidase, but decreased the content of malondialdehyde, superoxide radicals, and hydrogen peroxide. The optimum dose of exogenous trehalose required for the maximum growth of maize seedlings was 10 mmol/L. These results indicate that exogenous trehalose treatment could alleviate the negative effects of salt stress on maize seedlings.
