Bioscience Evidence 2026, Vol.16, No.1, 1-11 http://bioscipublisher.com/index.php/be 8 However, the benefits were not uniform across all growth metrics. While plant height showed clear gains, other parameters like leaf number and stem girth exhibited only limited or no significant enhancement from H2O2 treatment. This pattern points to species-specific sensitivities in maize or concentration dependent responses of H2O2, where the applied dose or timing may optimally influence certain traits but not others. Comparable variability has been documented in different crops exposed to salinity or related stresses, highlighting that H2O2 efficacy can vary based on plant type, stress severity, and application details (Roque et al., 2024; Thomas et al., 2025). Table 6 Leaf chlorophyll contents of Zeamays under salinity treatments with and without hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) application Salinity treatment (mM NaCl) With or without HP Chlorophyll (mg/L) Total chlorophyll (mg/L) A b 0 WHP 22.25 48.00 70.24 50 10.16 22.04 32.20 100 10.14 22.53 32.67 150 10.77 25.42 36.18 200 11.08 26.76 37.85 250 10.07 22.16 32.23 0 PHP 24.62 47.81 72.43 50 21.83 25.69 47.54 100 18.33 24.91 43.24 150 13.13 27.00 40.13 200 12.35 18.64 30.98 250 15.11 19.58 34.69 Note: PHP: plus hydrogen peroxide (H2O2); WHP: without hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) Positive effects extended to vegetative biomass and root development, where H2O2 application led to noticeable improvements. These outcomes likely stem from better nutrient uptake and water retention capabilities under saline conditions, as salt stress typically disrupts ion balance and water availability, impairing root function and overall growth. Similar enhancements in biomass and root systems have been reported in other species like Mungbean and Tomato when H2O2 mitigates salt stress (Nehela et al., 2021). At moderate salinity levels (50~150 mM NaCl), H2O2 treated maize plants displayed approximately 10%~15% higher biomass than untreated counterparts. This advantage is attributable to strengthened antioxidant defenses which neutralize excess ROS and improved osmotic regulation, allowing plants to maintain physiological balance more effectively. These mechanisms tie directly into H2O2 broader role in orchestrating physiological adjustments during abiotic challenges (Ranjan et al., 2023; Saidi et al., 2024). In terms of yield components, H2O2 positively affected key reproductive traits, most notably grain number per plant. Under severe stress at 250 mM NaCl, treated plants retained 88.12 grains per plant, compared to 84.50 in untreated plants. This indicates that H2O2 helps sustain reproductive development by minimizing oxidative damage to floral tissues and improving the allocation of assimilates (photosynthates) toward grain formation. Such protective influences on yield have been noted in maize and related crops under salinity (Rehan et al., 2025; Zhao et al., 2025). Nevertheless, the mitigation was only partial at higher salinity levels (200~250 mM NaCl), suggesting that HP protective effects have boundaries under extreme conditions. Severe stress can generate overwhelming ROS levels or cause profound ion toxicity (e.g., excessive Na+ accumulation), which may exceed H2O2 capacity to fully counteract (Sachdev et al., 2021). Beyond growth and yield, H2O2 helped preserve grain quality attributes. Proximate composition, such as protein content, remained more stable in treated plants (14.31% with H2O2 versus 13.44% without at 250 mM NaCl). Nutritional elements, including better potassium retention, were also maintained. These outcomes reflect H2O2 influence on metabolic stability, enabling continued synthesis of essential compounds and better ion homeostasis despite saline disruption. Related observations in other studies emphasize H2O2 contribution to nutrient metabolism and balanced ion regulation under stress (Saritha et al., 2020; Yadesa and Diro, 2023).
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