Unraveling the effect of salicylic acid on Vigna radiata L. under PEG- induced drought stress

Abstract

The experiment was conducted on three mungbean genotypes to evaluate the effect of salicylic acid on PEG (Poly Ethylene Glycol)-induced drought stress. The drought stress imposes serious constraints on the plant growth, development, and yield attributes while the salicylic acid (SA) alleviates the effect of drought in all three genotypes. The highest level of drought (16% PEG induced) stress decreased plant water status, shoot length and root length, fresh weight and dry weight, nodule number and weight, floral bud per plant, number of pods per plant, and seed weight per plant. More negative values of OP (-MPa) were observed in root and nodules of MH 125 at moderate (8% PEG induced drought) level of stress, leaves of MH 215 genotype at highest level of stress. The seeds protein (12.17%), starch (5.45%), seed fiber (25.26%) decreased maximum in the genotype Asha among all the other genotypes while not much difference was reported in the phosphorus content under drought stress as compared to the control. The application of SA exogenously improves all the parameters in all the genotypes but the effect was pronounced more in the genotype MH 125 than other.