Huijuan Xu , Xiaojing Yang , Han Liu

Modern Agricultural Research Center, Cuixi Academy of Biotechnology, Zhuji, 311800, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Maize Genomics and Genetics, 2025, Vol. 16, No. 6   doi: 10.5376/mgg.2025.16.0026
Received: 06 Sep., 2025    Accepted: 23 Oct., 2025    Published: 24 Nov., 2025

This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Xu H.J., Yang X.J., and Liu H., 2025, Metabolomic insights into maize salt stress response and tolerant genotypes, Maize Genomics and Genetics, 16(6): 284-293 (doi: 10.5376/mgg.2025.16.0026)

Soil salinity operates as a worldwide abiotic stress which restricts maize (Zea mays L.) cultivation and threatens worldwide food security. Recent studies in metabolomics have enabled scientists to identify the biochemical and molecular pathways which control salt tolerance in maize plants. The research shows that tolerant genotypes produce more osmoprotectants including proline and raffinose and soluble sugars and secondary metabolites like flavonoids and phenolic acids which work together to protect cells through osmotic adjustment and ROS detoxification and membrane stability. Studies of networks demonstrate that tolerant genotypes form modular structures with redundant components which enhances their resistance to stress. The combination of metabolomics with quantitative genetics through mQTL and mGWAS methods has discovered specific biomarkers and causal genes which include proline and raffinose and lipid metabolism genes that can be used directly for breeding purposes. Functional validation using transgenic and genome editing technologies confirms causal links between metabolites and salt resilience. Metabolite markers show their translational value for germplasm screening and breeding pipelines through particular examples. The future of metabolomics will experience a transformation through spatiotemporal metabolomics advancements and multi-omics integration and computational modeling which will shift the field from descriptive observation to predictive and mechanistic biology. Scientists use Metabolomics as a strategic platform to study salt tolerance mechanisms while creating salt-resistant maize varieties for sustainable salt-affected area agriculture.

Maize (Zea mays L.); Salt stress; Metabolomics; Osmoprotectants and secondary metabolites; Molecular breeding