Oxidative damage associated with salt stress during germination and initial development of purple corn seedlings

ABSTRACT.

In various parts of the world, agricultural exploitation faces saline soil or water, such that cultivable species tend to be limited regarding the establishment of seedlings, with effects on productivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of salinity levels associated with different temperatures on the germination, initial development, and oxidative damage indicators of purple corn seedlings. The experiment was completely randomized in a 5 × 2 factorial design (moistening of the germination paper with 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM NaCl solutions at temperatures of 25 and 30°C). The parameters evaluated were germination, growth, and oxidative damage indicators at the seedling phase. The germinative decline and initial development of purple corn seedlings, regardless of the temperature (25 and 30°C), reflected oxidative damage resulting from saline stress. Although deleterious effects of salinity were observed, a temperature of 30°C provided greater length and accumulation of dry mass of purple corn seedlings compared to the effects at 25°C. Total chlorophyll, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total carotenoids, and lipid peroxidation, regardless of the temperature (25 and 30°C), were identified as sensitive biochemical indicators for the detection of physiological quality of purple corn seedlings subjected to NaCl.

Keywords:
Zea mays; anthocyanins; physiological potential; biochemical indicators