Agro-techniques for moisture stress management in maize – A review

Abstract

Maize is very sensitive crop to moisture deficit and its growth and development has significantly affected by water stress, with primary impact on plant morphology, cell ultrastructure and physiological process. This article highlights the effect of Pink Pigmented Facultative Methanotrophs, Brassinolides and Silicic acid as a drought mitigating agent. It is a well-known fact that plant physiological processes like stomatal conductivity, photosynthesis and respiration are severely affected by water deficit with further implications on the metabolic activity such as carbohydrate and energy synthesis as well as carbohydrate translocation and utilization. Even though maize possesses mechanisms to anticipate the negative effects of water deficits such as accumulation of silicon in leaf surface, production of antioxidants, osmolytes and heat shock proteins. Their protective capacity depends on the extent of the stress and also on the timing as well as the way stress occurs as either sudden or gradual. Reduction in growth, reproduction and quality parameter are inescapable when water deficit conditions override the plant’s protective mechanisms. However, advances are being made at the physiological level entailing identification of exogenous or endogenous substances that can ameliorate the negative effects of drought.