Increasing drought stress resistance by exploiting crops’ potential is crucial for agricultural sustainable development. Alternate partial root-zone irrigation (PRI) shows some benefits in coping with drought stress, but there is limited information on physiological mechanism of crop in response to nitrogen supply patterns under alternate PRI. Therefore, we designed a rainproof-pond study to determine the effects of nitrogen supply methods on the physiological characteristics of maize (Zea mays L.) under alternate PRI. Two nitrogen fertilizer supply methods, including alternate nitrogen supply (AN) and conventional nitrogen supply (CN), were applied with alternate furrow irrigation (AI) and conventional furrow irrigation (CI), respectively. In addition, AIAN was applied in two ways, namely AIANS (supply of N fertilizer and irrigation water in a synchronized manner) and AIAND (supply of N fertilizer and irrigation water in a separate manner). Compared to CICN, AICN and AIANS enhanced leaf water use efficiency with a significant increase in transpiration rate, while photosynthetic rate was comparable. Also, compared to AIAND, the AIANS positively affected the most measured physiological characteristics. Greater leaf relative water content, chlorophyll and soluble protein content, and the activities of peroxidases and superoxide dismutase enzymes were found in AIANS and AICN. Moreover, the contents of malondialdehyde, proline, and soluble sugar decreased which can be attributed to enhanced root vitality in AICN and AIANS. Alternate furrow irrigation combined with conventional nitrogen supply or alternate synchronized nitrogen supply enhances the drought tolerance of maize by improving photosynthesis, antioxidant defense system, and osmoregulation.

通过利用农作物的潜力来提高抗旱能力，对农业的可持续发展至关重要。交替的局部根区灌溉（PRI）在应付干旱胁迫方面显示出一些益处，但是在交替的PRI下，作物对氮素供应模式的响应的生理机制的信息有限。因此，我们设计了一个防雨池塘研究，以确定对玉米的生理特性氮供应方法的效果（玉蜀黍L.）在备用PRI下。分别采用交替沟灌（AI）和常规沟灌（CI）两种氮肥供应方法，包括交替氮供应（AN）和常规氮供应（CN）。另外，通过两种方式应用AIAN，即AIANS（以同步方式供应氮肥和灌溉水）和AIAND（以分开的方式供应氮肥和灌溉水）。与CICN相比，AICN和AIANS提高了叶的水分利用效率，蒸腾速率显着提高，而光合速率却相当。而且，与AIAND相比，AIANS对大多数测量的生理特征都有积极的影响。较高的叶片相对含水量，叶绿素和可溶性蛋白质含量，在AIANS和AICN中发现过氧化物酶和超氧化物歧化酶的活性。此外，丙二醛，脯氨酸和可溶性糖的含量降低，这可以归因于AICN和AIANS中根系活力的增强。交替进行的沟灌与常规的氮供应或交替的同步氮供应相结合，可通过改善光合作用，抗氧化防御系统和渗透调节作用来增强玉米的耐旱性。