Abstract
Melatonin has been widely used to modulate the deleterious effects of drought stress on plant growth and productivity. The purpose of the current study was to determine the effects of foliar melatonin treatment on photosynthetic and water content, antioxidant potential, and fatty acid composition of sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) under irrigation regimes. Melatonin was sprayed on leaves at 100, 200, and 300 µM in trees which exposed to drought at 100, 75, 50, and 25% of soil field capacity (FC). The results showed that although 70% FC had no significant difference with the control, irrigation regimes at 50 and 25% FC remarkably reduced plant growth and fruit yield. Under non-melatonin application, the drought at 25% FC lowered chlorophyll content (35%), relative water content (22%), fruit weight (12%), fruit yield (44%), ascorbic acid (AsA, 33%), and monounsaturated fatty acids (15%). However, this drought level enhanced total soluble solids (TSS, 33%), titration acidity (TA, 10%), TSS/TA (22%), saturated fatty acids (17%), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (52%). Melatonin especially 200 µM improved plant yield and fruit quality by modulating drought stress. Trees exposed to drought at 50–75% FC with foliar-applied melatonin at 200 µM yielded the maximum AsA and phenolic contents. The main fatty acid component was oleic acid (55.18–68.05%), which decreased by drought but increased by melatonin. For the sustainable management of scarce water resources in sweet cherry orchards, exogenous melatonin at 200 µM can be suggested as a helpful method to modulate drought stress. The research could help farmers cultivate fruits in areas with limited water resources.
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The data were provided by Mohsen Hojjati, Marzieh Ghanbari Jahromi Vahid Abdossi, Ali Mohammadi Torkashvand; The initial draft was prepared by Mohsen Hojjati and revised by the others.
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Hojjati, M., Jahromi, M.G., Abdossi, V. et al. Exogenous Melatonin Modulated Drought Stress by Regulating Physio-Biochemical Attributes and Fatty acid Profile of Sweet Cherry (Prunus avium L.). J Plant Growth Regul 43, 299–313 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-11085-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00344-023-11085-x