Role of foliar spray of plant growth regulators in improving photosynthetic pigments and metabolites in Plantago ovata (Psyllium) under salt stress–A field appraisal

Salinity is one of the major abiotic factors that limit growth and productivity plants. Foliar application plant regulators (PGRs) may help plants ameliorate negative impacts salinity. Thus, a field experiment was conducted at Botanical Garden University Balochistan, Quetta, to explore potential role PGRs, i.e., moringa leaf extract (MLE; 10%), proline (PRO; 1 µM), salicylic acid (SA; 250 thiourea (TU; 10 mM) in ameliorating salinity (120 on Plantago ovata, an important medicinal plant. hampered photosynthetic pigments metabolites but elevated oxidative parameters. However, foliar PGRs enhanced pigments, including Chl b (21.11%), carotenoids (57.87%) except a, activated defense mechanisms by restoring enhancing metabolites, soluble sugars (49.68%), phenolics (33.34%), (31.47%), significantly under stress. Furthermore, supplementation salt stress led decrease about 43.02% 43.27% hydrogen peroxide malondialdehyde content, respectively. can be recommended for improved efficiency metabolite content get better yield stress, with best most effective treatments being those PRO MLE predominately harsh