**Salicylic Acid Improves Boron Toxicity Tolerance by Modulating the Physio-Biochemical Characteristics of Maize (***Zea mays* **L.) at an Early Growth Stage**

**Muhammad Nawaz 1,\*, Sabtain Ishaq 2, Hasnain Ishaq 1, Naeem Khan 3, Naeem Iqbal 1, Shafaqat Ali 4,5,\*, Muhammad Rizwan 4, Abdulaziz Abdullah Alsahli <sup>6</sup> and Mohammed Nasser Alyemeni <sup>6</sup>**


Received: 14 November 2020; Accepted: 16 December 2020; Published: 21 December 2020 -

**Abstract:** The boron (B) concentration surpasses the plant need in arid and semi-arid regions of the world, resulting in phyto-toxicity. Salicylic acid (SA) is an endogenous signaling molecule responsible for stress tolerance in plants and is a potential candidate for ameliorating B toxicity. In this study, the effects of seed priming with SA (0, 50, 100 and 150 μM for 12 h) on the growth, pigmentation and mineral concentrations of maize (*Zea mays* L.) grown under B toxicity were investigated. One-week old seedlings were subjected to soil spiked with B (0, 15 and 30 mg kg−<sup>1</sup> soil) as boric acid. Elevating concentrations of B reduced the root and shoot length, but these losses were significantly restored in plants raised from seeds primed with 100 μM of SA. The B application decreased the root and shoot fresh/dry biomasses significantly at 30 mg kg−<sup>1</sup> soil. The chlorophyll and carotenoid contents decreased with increasing levels of B, while the contents of anthocyanin, H2O2, ascorbic acid (ASA) and glycinebetaine (GB) were enhanced. The root K and Ca contents were significantly increased, while a reduction in the shoot K contents was recorded. The nitrate concentration was significantly higher in the shoot as compared to the root under applied B toxic regimes. However, all of these B toxicity effects were diminished with 100 μM SA applications. The current study outcomes suggested that the exogenously applied SA modulates the response of plants grown under B toxic conditions, and hence could be used as a plant growth regulator to stimulate plant growth and enhance mineral nutrient uptake under B-stressed conditions.

**Keywords:** biomass reduction; cereal crops; growth regulators; metal stress
