Role of Salicylic Acid in the Improvement of PEG – Induced Drought Stress in Maize (Zea mays L.) cv. Baghdad

Laboratory experiment using hydroponic culture system was conducted at plant physiology laboratory, Department of Biology, College of Education for Pure Sciences, University of Basrah, in order to study the role of seeds soaking with salicylic acid (SA) and the effect of PEG8000 induced water stress on germination and early seedling growth stages of maize (Zea mays L.) cv. Baghdad. Seeds were soaked with three concentrations of SA (0.1,0.3 and 0.5 mM) in addition to control treatment with distilled water, while PEG8000 were used at concentrations of 0% (distilled water) 1%, 2%, 3%, 6%, 9% and 12%. The data was recorded on various parameters like seeds germination percentage, seedlings roots and shoot length and seedlings roots and shoot fresh and dry weight.The experiment was designed as completely randomized factorial with three replicates for each treatment. Results indicated that SA at 0.5 mM caused a significant increase in germination percentage roots and shoot length, roots and shoots fresh and dry weight while PEG8000 caused a significant decrease especially at its high concentrations (6% and 9%) in all the previous parameters. Interaction between SA at 0.5 mM and PEG had improved significantly germination percentage, shoot and roots length, shoot and roots fresh and dry weight so it had a positive significance effect on increasing the drought tolerance in maize. Keywords: Maize, Salicylic acid, PEG8000, Hydroponic, Germination, Seedling growth.