Physiological and iTRAQ-based proteomic analyses reveal that melatonin alleviates oxidative damage in maize leaves exposed to drought stress.

To explain the underlying mechanism of melatonin-mediated drought stress responses in maize, maize pre-treated with or without melatonin was subjected to 20% PEG nutrient solution to induce drought stress. We found that exogenous melatonin significantly improved drought tolerance, demonstrated by improved photosynthesis, reduced ROS accumulation, enhanced activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT), and increased content of glutathione (GSH). Comparative iTRAQ proteomic analyses revealed a higher abundance of differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in melatonin-treated maize under drought stress for carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, photosynthesis, biosynthesis of amino acids, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, compared to untreated plants. Changes in the above molecular mechanisms could explain the melatonin-induced physiological effects associated with drought tolerance. In summary, this study provides a more integrated picture about the effects of melatonin on the physiological and molecular mechanisms in maize seedlings responding to drought stress.