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<p>Drought stress is a major constraint on maize production. This study investigated the protective effects of chitooligosaccharides (COS) on drought-stressed maize seedlings and explored the underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrate that exogenous COS application, particularly at 100&#xa0;mg/L, significantly alleviated drought-induced damage. This was evidenced by the enhancement of key photosynthetic parameters—including net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr)—<b>a</b>nd the reinforcement of the antioxidant defense system. COS treatment boosted the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Furthermore, COS improved root architecture and vitality, and upregulated the expression of critical drought-responsive genes (ZmERF21, ZmDREB2A, ZmMYB60). These findings indicate that COS enhances drought tolerance in maize through coordinated physiological and molecular regulation, suggesting its potential as an eco-friendly biostimulant for improving crop resilience.</p>

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Chitooligosaccharides Enhance Drought Tolerance in Maize Seedlings Via Coordinated Regulation of Physiological Traits and Stress-Responsive Gene Expression

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月5日

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  • Shengjun Wu,
  • Yue Kong

摘要

Drought stress is a major constraint on maize production. This study investigated the protective effects of chitooligosaccharides (COS) on drought-stressed maize seedlings and explored the underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrate that exogenous COS application, particularly at 100 mg/L, significantly alleviated drought-induced damage. This was evidenced by the enhancement of key photosynthetic parameters—including net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Gs), and transpiration rate (Tr)—and the reinforcement of the antioxidant defense system. COS treatment boosted the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidase (POD), while reducing malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. Furthermore, COS improved root architecture and vitality, and upregulated the expression of critical drought-responsive genes (ZmERF21, ZmDREB2A, ZmMYB60). These findings indicate that COS enhances drought tolerance in maize through coordinated physiological and molecular regulation, suggesting its potential as an eco-friendly biostimulant for improving crop resilience.