Maize Grain Extract Enriched with Polyamines Alleviates Drought Stress in Triticum aestivum through Up-Regulation of the Ascorbate–Glutathione Cycle, Glyoxalase System, and Polyamine Gene Expression

The potential protective role of priming wheat seeds with maize green extract (MGE) against the stress effects drought was studied. Pretreatment using MGE, MGE enriched polyamines (MGEPA), and treatments (irrigation deficit 30% (severe drought) or 60% (moderate versus 90% relative water content soil as a control) were applied in factorial completely randomized design. Under moderate drought, pretreatment MGEPA outperformed control, while severely stressed plants died even pretreatments. Both extracts enhanced normal plant growth yield mitigated deleterious effect moderately plants. Application both markedly increased photosynthetic efficiency, membrane stability, content, accumulation antioxidants, osmoprotectants, trans- cis-zeatin, polyamines, their gene expressions, levels superoxide (O2•−) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage decreased. Enzymatic antioxidants glyoxalase system activities improved further extracts, thus protecting from oxidative damage by up-regulation ascorbate–glutathione cycle. Glycine betaine, soluble sugars, proline greatly pretreated plants, maintaining stability efficiency. interaction between significant growing dry environments soil.