The Role of Biologicals Azotohelp®, Liposam®, and Organic-Balance® as Mitigators of Abiotic Stress in Maize Plants

In this study the expression of drought-resistance marker genes ZmNHL1, ZmVPP1, ZmNAC111: the antiradical activity, relative water content and biochemical chromatographic profiling of the phenolic compound complex in the leaves of maize plants treated by biopreparations under drought stress, was investigated. Drought stress significantly affected the expression of stress-responsive genes in plants under the action of biopreparations (in 4-7 folds). The maize leaves in the variant with «Organic-Balance®» 0.5 l/ha + «Azotohelp®» 0.3 l/ha + «Liposam®» 0.25 l/ha were characterized by the high content of total content of phenolic compounds, highest antiradical activity (88.2%), the most active glycosylation processes of flavonoids (up to 13%), the highest relative water content (97.3%) compared to the control. PCA and PLS-DA showed that the alterations of secondary metabolites, induced by biopreparations, serve as an initial mechanism for activation of the plant's antioxidant system, leading to a more robust defence system post-stress signals.