Transcriptome expression profiles of maize reveal plant response mechanisms to drought and drought-stress mitigation mechanisms by exogenous glycine betaine

Drought stress is one of the major abiotic stresses that limit the growth, development and yield of maize crops. Responses of different maize inbred lines to drought stress and to the stress-mitigating effects of exogenous glycine betaine (GB) were investigated. Seedling morphology, physiological and biochemical indexes, root cell morphology and root transcriptome expression profiles were compared between a drought-tolerant inbred line Chang 7-2 and drought-sensitive inbred line TS141 subjected to drought stress alone and drought stress with application of exogenous GB.