Correlation of the corn compensatory growth mechanism after post-drought rewatering with cytokinin induced by root nitrate absorption

•The mechanism of corn's compensatory growth upon post-drought rewatering induced by root-produced cytokinin was revealed.•The method of nitrate addition to the roots was used to investigate the mechanism of root producing cytokinin in the corns of post-drought rewatering.•The relationship between roots and leaves was revealed during corn's compensatory growth upon post-drought rewatering.