Abstract:

The aims are to study the ion changes and the response of functional genes in maize under salt stress, and lay a foundation for the cultivation of salt-tolerant maize varieties in the future. Four maize inbred lines were used as materials and were treated with 200 mmol/L NaCl solution for 14 days. The contents of Na⁺, K⁺, Ca²⁺ in underground and aboveground parts were determined and analyzed. Meanwhile, the transcriptome analysis was carried out to study the expression of functional genes in maize under salt stress. The results showed that among the four inbred lines, S388 had the lowest Na⁺ content and Na⁺ accumulation in leaves and roots. At the same time, the Na⁺:Ca²⁺ ratio of S388 was the highest among the four materials. The transcriptome analysis showed that S388 was involved in ion transport pathway, stress signal and ion transmembrane transport. The results indicated that the salt tolerance of S388 was the highest among the four maize inbred lines, and there was less Na⁺ content in leaves and roots, which provided a material basis for breeding salt-tolerant varieties in the future.

Key words: maize, salt stress, ion, transcriptome