Fig. 4

Go terms and pathway analysis of DEGs in kernels at the 5DAP stage showed that carbohydrate metabolism and development process were significantly changed after drought stress. a GO term analysis of the DEGs in kernels in response to drought stress showed an enrichment in carbohydrate metabolism and organ development process. b DEGs in carbohydrate metabolism (glycolysis and TCA cycle). c DEGs in carbohydrate metabolism (Starch and sucrose metabolism). All the plants were grown under natural conditions, normal nutrients, well-watered soil in the field until the designated stages. Drought stress treatments (5 days drought stress at the 5DAP stage) and a normal control were performed. The kernel on the upper ear from drought stress and control plants was collected for RNA sequencing. The absolute values of log2 (drought/control) ≥1 and FDR < 0.001 were used as the criteria for DEGs. The color of the box represents up (red) and down (green)-regulated genes (drought/normal), and the value in the box is the log2 (drought/control) of the genes in the kernel at the 5DAP stage. Schematic of the pathways modified according to the KEGG