Abstract <p>The vulnerability of plants to abiotic stresses such as heat, salinity, and drought presents a growing challenge to global crop productivity. Therefore, the present investigation aimed to explore the potential contributions of salicylic acid and chitosan, both separately and in combination, for the enhancement of growth, physiological, and biochemical characteristics of maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) subjected to drought conditions during the seedling phase. Drought stress was applied during the four-leaf stage for duration of 12 days, maintaining a level of 50% field capacity and then maize plants were subjected to both individual and simultaneous treatment with salicylic acid and chitosan. Results revealed that drought stress significantly impacted the morphological and physiological characteristics of maize. The extended period of water scarcity resulted in heightened oxidative stress, characterized by the generation of malondialdehyde due to lipid peroxidation, elevated lipoxygenase activity, and the synthesis of hydrogen peroxide. However, individual applications of salicylic acid and chitosan mitigate the effects of drought, but to a lesser extent than their combined application. But the synergistic foliar application of both substances alleviated the detrimental impacts of drought-induced oxidative stress. The integration of salicylic acid and chitosan effectively mitigated oxidative stress induced by drought through the regulation of osmolytes concentrations and the modulation of antioxidant enzyme activities. The findings indicate that the simultaneous application of foliar sprays containing salicylic acid and chitosan may effectively mitigate the impacts of drought stress on maize during the four-leaf stage.</p>