Water shortage is the most yield-limiting factor in maize (Zea mays L.) crops, especially when the crop is at the seedling stage. In a maize breeding program, effective and reliable screening methods for water stress tolerance would be helpful. In this study, maize genotypes totaling 49 underwent evaluation against different water stress levels of 30%, 40%, and 100% field capacity at their early growth stages. The experiment transpired in the greenhouse of the University of Sargodha, Sargodha, Pakistan. The data assessment used completely randomized design (CRD), principal component analysis (PCA), biplot analysis, and correlation matrix to identify the water stress-tolerant genotypes. The significant (p < 0.05) differences were evident among the genotypes for all traits. Among principal factors, the first three had eigenvalues greater than one. The components, PC1, PC2, and PC3, accounted for 60%, 80%, and 95.8% of the cumulative variability, respectively. The analysis concluded that the mean emergence time (MET) and desiccation tolerance index (DTI) revealed negative correlations, suggesting their limiting role in early seedling performance. However, the genotypes 15067, Pearl, Sultan, 15023, 14996, 15005, Akbar, Sahiwal-2002, and 14985 proved superiors in performance and behaved as the best possible candidates for future water stress-tolerant breeding programs.
Maize (Z. mays L.), maize germplasm, water stress conditions, seedling traits, principal component analysis, biplot analysis, correlation
Drought stress at the seedling stage significantly impairs maize (Z. mays L.) growth and vigor. In this study, several genotypes demonstrated superior performance under induced water stress, indicating potential water stress tolerance. Notably, genotypes 15067, Pearl, Sultan, 15023, 14996, 15005, Akbar, Sahiwal-2002, and 14985 exhibited enhanced emergence traits, desiccation tolerance, and recovery ability. These genotypes are promising candidates for incorporation into maize drought-resilient breeding programs.