Impact of Silicon Seed Priming on Osmoregulants, Antioxidants, and Seedling Growth of Maize Grown under Chemo-Stress

Seed priming with silicon is an effective approach in combating stress conditions and pave way for good growth. A pot experiment was conducted with treatment schedule viz., Silicon seed priming @ 0, 1, and 2mM through silicon metasilicates and alkalinity stress levels viz., 0,25,50 and 75 mM produced by totaling with sodium carbonate. The trial was taken up through FCRD and replicated thrice with maize var CO8. The crop was grown up to the vegetative stage. The outcome of the experiment was that osmoregulants and anti-oxidants were higher in maize plants that did not receive silicon. The phenol and soluble protein contents increased by silicon priming under normal and alkali stress soil, while proline content was reduced. At all-silicon levels, osmoprotectants showed a positive trend with an increase in stress levels and maximum increase in phenol content (60.4µg/g) and soluble protein (30.2 mg/g DW) was seen with 75 mM alkaline stress in the presence of 2 mM silicon. Anti-oxidant enzymes like SOD, peroxidase, and catalase activities increased with stress levels and increased further in the presence of silicon priming. At all-silicon levels, peroxidase, SOD, and catalase activities in maize increased with stress levels andthe highest value of 48.1 units mg^-1 protein, 0.412 U mg^-1and 17.2 U mg^-1, respectively was noticed with 75 mM in the presence of 2mM Si. Maize seedling growth and dry weight showed a negative trend under alkali stress and turn over effect was observed with seed priming of maize seeds with silicon.