Endogenous ABA and GB in both cultivars accumulated with prolonged period of IR-DS treatment.
These responses were more predominant in ZD958 than that in JD20. The ABA contents in ZD958
and JD20 reached their maximum after 24 and 36 h of the start of DS treatment, respectively, being
540% and 480% of those of the control plants. In contrast, GB contents in ZD958 and JD20 were
maximum after 48 and 60 h of DS treatment, being 250% and 180% of those of the control plants,
respectively. The maximum accumulation of ABA took place earlier than that of GB in the leaves of
both drought-stressed maize cultivars (Figure 1).