Effectiveness of Seed Priming and Soil Drench with Salicylic Acid on Tomato Growth, Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Severe Water Deficit

This study aimed to assess the capacity of two methods application salicylic acid (SA) mitigate effects water deficit during vegetative growth tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) plants comparatively evaluated by growth, physiological and biochemical responses. Under greenhouse conditions, a combination factors was tested. The first SA application: without SA, seed priming with soil drench solution at 19 days after seedling emergence. second factor, limitation (20, 30, 40, 100% holding substrate) applied 28 emergence for 5 days. Results showed that plant photosynthetic activity were significantly inhibited deficit. On other hand, use efficiency, activities superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase contents malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide osmoprotectants increased Seed induced increases in leaf area, root dry weight root/shoot ratio under drought conditions. Soil improvements CO2 assimilation rate stomatal conductance well-irrigated plants. Even when, general, antioxidant enzymes not cellular redox homeostasis maintained through proline total soluble sugars from degradation starch. is suitable technique damaging severe while maintaining growth.