Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) under Drought Stress
The present investigation was designed to improve drought stress tolerance in eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) through the exogenous application of α-tocopherol (TOC). For exogenous application, two modes, i.e., foliar spray (FS) and pre-sowing seed treatment (PS), were used. Water...
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/2/237 |
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| author | Nudrat Aisha Akram Rohina Bashir Gulshan Ashraf Shehnaz Bashir Muhammad Ashraf Mohammed Nasser Alyemeni Andrzej Bajguz Parvaiz Ahmad |
| author_facet | Nudrat Aisha Akram Rohina Bashir Gulshan Ashraf Shehnaz Bashir Muhammad Ashraf Mohammed Nasser Alyemeni Andrzej Bajguz Parvaiz Ahmad |
| author_sort | Nudrat Aisha Akram |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The present investigation was designed to improve drought stress tolerance in eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) through the exogenous application of α-tocopherol (TOC). For exogenous application, two modes, i.e., foliar spray (FS) and pre-sowing seed treatment (PS), were used. Water deficiency treatment (50% field capacity (FC)) was applied on 32-day-old seedlings of two eggplant cultivars, i.e., Janak and Black Beauty. Five levels of TOC (0 mg/L, 50 mg/L PS, 100 mg/L PS, 50 mg/L FS, and 100 mg/L FS) were applied as PS and FS. Pre-sowing seed treatment was conducted before seed sowing, while FS treatment after 30 days of drought stress treatment. After 15 days of TOC as an FS application, it was observed that drought stress significantly reduced plant growth (5–15%) and chlorophyll contents (4–10%), while it increased proline (4–6%), glycine betaine (GB) (5–10%), malondialdehyde (MDA) (10.8%), hydrogen peroxide (15–16%), relative membrane permeability (RMP) (5–8%), and the activities of peroxidase (7–8%) and superoxide dismutase (12–15%) in both eggplant cultivars. The TOC application (FS and PS) exhibited a positive role in overcoming the adverse effect of water stress on eggplants. Plant growth increased (15–18%) as a result of the application of TOC, which could be linked with improved chlorophyll, ascorbic acid (AsA), GB, proline, total soluble proteins (TSP), and the activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. The reactive oxygen species H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> was also decreased by TOC application. Overall, TOC as a foliar spray was more effective in improving the accumulation of proline, GB, AsA, and activities of SOD and POD enzymes, while PS treatment was more effective in reducing RMP and improving the TSP of eggplant. Cv. Black Beauty was comparatively better in root dry weight, chlorophyll <i>a</i> and <i>b</i>, and MDA contents, while cv. Janak in RMP, AsA, TSP, and activity of the POD enzyme. It can be inferred that the application of TOC was useful in counteracting the harmful effects of drought stress on both cultivars of eggplants. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:25:40Z |
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| language | English |
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| spelling | doaj.art-aecc404b2af145259756afa6b6ca22d72023-12-01T00:03:05ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-01-0112223710.3390/plants12020237Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) under Drought StressNudrat Aisha Akram0Rohina Bashir1Gulshan Ashraf2Shehnaz Bashir3Muhammad Ashraf4Mohammed Nasser Alyemeni5Andrzej Bajguz6Parvaiz Ahmad7Department of Botany, Government College University, Faisalabad 38040, PakistanDepartment of Botany, Government College University, Faisalabad 38040, PakistanDepartment of Botany, Government College University, Faisalabad 38040, PakistanDepartment of Botany, Government College University, Faisalabad 38040, PakistanInstitute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Lahore, Lahore 54590, PakistanBotany and Microbiology Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Biology and Plant Ecology, Faculty of Biology, University of Bialystok, Ciolkowskiego 1J, 15-245 Bialystok, PolandDepartment of Botany, Government Degree College, Pulwama 192301, Jammu and Kashmir, IndiaThe present investigation was designed to improve drought stress tolerance in eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) through the exogenous application of α-tocopherol (TOC). For exogenous application, two modes, i.e., foliar spray (FS) and pre-sowing seed treatment (PS), were used. Water deficiency treatment (50% field capacity (FC)) was applied on 32-day-old seedlings of two eggplant cultivars, i.e., Janak and Black Beauty. Five levels of TOC (0 mg/L, 50 mg/L PS, 100 mg/L PS, 50 mg/L FS, and 100 mg/L FS) were applied as PS and FS. Pre-sowing seed treatment was conducted before seed sowing, while FS treatment after 30 days of drought stress treatment. After 15 days of TOC as an FS application, it was observed that drought stress significantly reduced plant growth (5–15%) and chlorophyll contents (4–10%), while it increased proline (4–6%), glycine betaine (GB) (5–10%), malondialdehyde (MDA) (10.8%), hydrogen peroxide (15–16%), relative membrane permeability (RMP) (5–8%), and the activities of peroxidase (7–8%) and superoxide dismutase (12–15%) in both eggplant cultivars. The TOC application (FS and PS) exhibited a positive role in overcoming the adverse effect of water stress on eggplants. Plant growth increased (15–18%) as a result of the application of TOC, which could be linked with improved chlorophyll, ascorbic acid (AsA), GB, proline, total soluble proteins (TSP), and the activities of peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities. The reactive oxygen species H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> was also decreased by TOC application. Overall, TOC as a foliar spray was more effective in improving the accumulation of proline, GB, AsA, and activities of SOD and POD enzymes, while PS treatment was more effective in reducing RMP and improving the TSP of eggplant. Cv. Black Beauty was comparatively better in root dry weight, chlorophyll <i>a</i> and <i>b</i>, and MDA contents, while cv. Janak in RMP, AsA, TSP, and activity of the POD enzyme. It can be inferred that the application of TOC was useful in counteracting the harmful effects of drought stress on both cultivars of eggplants.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/2/237antioxidantsdrought stresseggplantmitigationα-tocopherol |
| spellingShingle | Nudrat Aisha Akram Rohina Bashir Gulshan Ashraf Shehnaz Bashir Muhammad Ashraf Mohammed Nasser Alyemeni Andrzej Bajguz Parvaiz Ahmad Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) under Drought Stress Plants antioxidants drought stress eggplant mitigation α-tocopherol |
| title | Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) under Drought Stress |
| title_full | Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) under Drought Stress |
| title_fullStr | Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) under Drought Stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) under Drought Stress |
| title_short | Exogenous α-Tocopherol Regulates the Growth and Metabolism of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i> L.) under Drought Stress |
| title_sort | exogenous α tocopherol regulates the growth and metabolism of eggplant i solanum melongena i l under drought stress |
| topic | antioxidants drought stress eggplant mitigation α-tocopherol |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/2/237 |
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