Differential antioxidative response to drought stress and relationship with water use efficiency in maize hybrids

Knowing about antioxidant enzymes activities after drought stress in plants are important, particularly in maize that is a sensitive plant to drought stress. Hence a study was conducted on six hybrids maize. Treatments were consisted of six maize hybrids: SC704, BC666, ZP599, SC524, ZP434, SC400 and irrigation at three regimes: optimal (100% FC), mild stress (75% FC) and severe stress (50% FC). Sampling was in stem elongation, tasseling and blisteringThe results showed that WUE slightly decreased under stress conditions, differences were non-significant. The activity of catalase and ascorbic peroxidase significantly increased while activity of peroxidase decreased under drought stress. Superoxide dismutase activity decreased and increased under mild and severe stress, respectively. According to These results suggest that superoxide dismutase is the best indicator for screening tolerance hybrids in drought stress and also stem elongation is the best stage.