University of Isfahan Journal of Plant Biological Sciences 3041-9603 17 3 2025 09 23 Improvement of seed germination and biochemical characteristics of Pinto bean seedlings under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress via the application of nutrient elements containing polyamines Improvement of seed germination and biochemical characteristics of Pinto bean seedlings under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress via the application of nutrient elements containing polyamines 1 24 30129 10.22108/ijpb.2025.145719.1412 FA Fateme Mahmoudi Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Parisa Sheikhzadeh Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Meysam Eini Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran Journal Article 2025 06 21 To investigate the effects of seed-applied nutrient compounds on germination and biochemical characteristics of bean seedlings under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. The treatments included drought stress (0, −4, −8, and −12 times) and the application of nutrient compounds containing polyamines (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM). The results showed that drought stress significantly reduced germination rate and percentage to 3.1-6.97%, and reduced seedling dry weight and length to 4.70-28.19%, while increasing the average germination time by about 22.31% compared to the control treatment. However, enriching seeds with nutrient compounds increased seed germination and seedling growth and reduced the average germination time. In the presence and absence of drought stress, the antioxidant enzyme activity and proline content of seedlings obtained from treated seeds were about 3.25 to 4.10 percent higher than those obtained from control seeds. At all levels of drought stress, enriching seeds with different concentrations of nutrient compounds increased germination and improved bean seedling growth by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity. Among the treatments studied, the application of 100 mM nutrient compounds under non-stressed and 12-fold drought stress conditions increased dry weight by 20.69 and 59.26 percent, seedling vigor index by 15.59 and 28.96 percent, and peroxidase enzyme activity by 7.46 and 11.73 percent, respectively, compared to the control treatment, indicating a greater effect of nutrient compounds under drought stress conditions. In general, the application of 100 mM nutrient concentrations had the greatest positive effect on germination, growth, and biochemical traits of seedlings under both favourable and unfavourable conditions. Introduction Drought is one of the most critical environmental stresses limiting crop production worldwide and has adverse effects on germination, emergence, and plant growth and development. In agriculture, drought is defined as the lack of moisture required for normal plant growth and development, and water stress occurs when water loss exceeds water uptake, when water uptake by the plant decreases, or both. The germination and seedling growth stage is one of the most important and decisive stages of plant growth affecting crop production; however, it is strongly influenced by environmental stresses and has therefore been suggested as a suitable criterion for determining plant drought tolerance. Pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important grain legumes, playing a major role in the human diet and providing a significant source of protein. Among legumes, the common bean ranks first in terms of cultivated area. This plant is rich in protein, phosphorus, vitamins, and nutrients such as calcium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, and magnesium, as well as fibre. In addition, due to the symbiosis between atmospheric nitrogen-fixing bacteria and the roots of this plant, it effectively contributes to soil fertility, with large amounts of nitrogen added to cultivated soils each year after harvesting. Several factors can reduce chickpea seed germination and seedling emergence, among which drought stress is one of the most critical. Given that drought stress is one of the most important environmental factors in modern agricultural ecosystems and can significantly reduce plant growth and productivity, preventing or minimizing its harmful effects has long been of interest to researchers. Accordingly, considering the sensitivity of the germination and early growth stages of chickpea seedlings to drought stress, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of seed application of nutrient compounds containing polyamines on the germination and biochemical characteristics of seedlings of this plant under drought stress. Materials and Methods To investigate the effects of applying nutrient elements containing polyamines on seed germination and the biochemical characteristics of Pinto bean seedlings under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments included drought stress at four levels (0, -4, -8, and -12 bar) and the application of nutrient elements containing polyamines at five levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 %). In this study, the measured traits include germination percentage, germination rate, allometric coefficient, seedling length, seedling dry weight, seedling length vigour index, seedling weight vigour index, and mean germination time (MGT). Also, the activities of the catalase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase enzymes, and the proline content of Pinto bean seedlings were investigated. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.4. Data distribution normality was evaluated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The comparison of means was performed using Duncan's multiple-range test at the 5% significance level. Excel software was used to draw graphs. Results and Discussion The results showed that drought stress significantly reduced germination rate and percentage, and the dry weight and length of Pinto bean seedlings, and increased the mean time required for germination. However, enriching seeds with nutrient elements containing polyamines increased seed germination and seedling growth, and reduced the mean germination time. Under normal conditions and under drought stress, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the proline content in seedlings obtained from seeds treated with nutrient elements containing polyamines were higher than in the control. At all levels of drought stress, enrichment of pinto bean seeds with different concentrations (25 to 100 %) of nutrient elements containing polyamines increased the percentage and rate of germination and better growth of pinto bean seedlings by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Among the treatments studied, the application of 100 mM concentration of nutrient elements containing polyamines under the normal condition and -12 bar drought stress condition caused an increase of 20.69% and 59.26% in seedling dry weight, 15.59% and 28.96% in seedling length vigor index, and 7.46% and 11.73% in the activity of peroxidase enzyme compared to the control, respectively. Conclusion In general, the application of a 100% concentration of nutrient elements containing polyamines had the greatest positive and significant effect on improving seed germination characteristics and biochemical traits of Pinto bean seedlings under drought stress. To investigate the effects of seed-applied nutrient compounds on germination and biochemical characteristics of bean seedlings under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. The treatments included drought stress (0, −4, −8, and −12 times) and the application of nutrient compounds containing polyamines (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mM). The results showed that drought stress significantly reduced germination rate and percentage to 3.1-6.97%, and reduced seedling dry weight and length to 4.70-28.19%, while increasing the average germination time by about 22.31% compared to the control treatment. However, enriching seeds with nutrient compounds increased seed germination and seedling growth and reduced the average germination time. In the presence and absence of drought stress, the antioxidant enzyme activity and proline content of seedlings obtained from treated seeds were about 3.25 to 4.10 percent higher than those obtained from control seeds. At all levels of drought stress, enriching seeds with different concentrations of nutrient compounds increased germination and improved bean seedling growth by increasing antioxidant enzyme activity. Among the treatments studied, the application of 100 mM nutrient compounds under non-stressed and 12-fold drought stress conditions increased dry weight by 20.69 and 59.26 percent, seedling vigor index by 15.59 and 28.96 percent, and peroxidase enzyme activity by 7.46 and 11.73 percent, respectively, compared to the control treatment, indicating a greater effect of nutrient compounds under drought stress conditions. In general, the application of 100 mM nutrient concentrations had the greatest positive effect on germination, growth, and biochemical traits of seedlings under both favourable and unfavourable conditions. Introduction Drought is one of the most critical environmental stresses limiting crop production worldwide and has adverse effects on germination, emergence, and plant growth and development. In agriculture, drought is defined as the lack of moisture required for normal plant growth and development, and water stress occurs when water loss exceeds water uptake, when water uptake by the plant decreases, or both. The germination and seedling growth stage is one of the most important and decisive stages of plant growth affecting crop production; however, it is strongly influenced by environmental stresses and has therefore been suggested as a suitable criterion for determining plant drought tolerance. Pinto bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most important grain legumes, playing a major role in the human diet and providing a significant source of protein. Among legumes, the common bean ranks first in terms of cultivated area. This plant is rich in protein, phosphorus, vitamins, and nutrients such as calcium, zinc, copper, iron, manganese, and magnesium, as well as fibre. In addition, due to the symbiosis between atmospheric nitrogen-fixing bacteria and the roots of this plant, it effectively contributes to soil fertility, with large amounts of nitrogen added to cultivated soils each year after harvesting. Several factors can reduce chickpea seed germination and seedling emergence, among which drought stress is one of the most critical. Given that drought stress is one of the most important environmental factors in modern agricultural ecosystems and can significantly reduce plant growth and productivity, preventing or minimizing its harmful effects has long been of interest to researchers. Accordingly, considering the sensitivity of the germination and early growth stages of chickpea seedlings to drought stress, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of seed application of nutrient compounds containing polyamines on the germination and biochemical characteristics of seedlings of this plant under drought stress. Materials and Methods To investigate the effects of applying nutrient elements containing polyamines on seed germination and the biochemical characteristics of Pinto bean seedlings under polyethylene glycol-induced drought stress, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with three replications. Treatments included drought stress at four levels (0, -4, -8, and -12 bar) and the application of nutrient elements containing polyamines at five levels (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 %). In this study, the measured traits include germination percentage, germination rate, allometric coefficient, seedling length, seedling dry weight, seedling length vigour index, seedling weight vigour index, and mean germination time (MGT). Also, the activities of the catalase, peroxidase, and polyphenol oxidase enzymes, and the proline content of Pinto bean seedlings were investigated. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS 9.4. Data distribution normality was evaluated using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The comparison of means was performed using Duncan's multiple-range test at the 5% significance level. Excel software was used to draw graphs. Results and Discussion The results showed that drought stress significantly reduced germination rate and percentage, and the dry weight and length of Pinto bean seedlings, and increased the mean time required for germination. However, enriching seeds with nutrient elements containing polyamines increased seed germination and seedling growth, and reduced the mean germination time. Under normal conditions and under drought stress, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and the proline content in seedlings obtained from seeds treated with nutrient elements containing polyamines were higher than in the control. At all levels of drought stress, enrichment of pinto bean seeds with different concentrations (25 to 100 %) of nutrient elements containing polyamines increased the percentage and rate of germination and better growth of pinto bean seedlings by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes. Among the treatments studied, the application of 100 mM concentration of nutrient elements containing polyamines under the normal condition and -12 bar drought stress condition caused an increase of 20.69% and 59.26% in seedling dry weight, 15.59% and 28.96% in seedling length vigor index, and 7.46% and 11.73% in the activity of peroxidase enzyme compared to the control, respectively. Conclusion In general, the application of a 100% concentration of nutrient elements containing polyamines had the greatest positive and significant effect on improving seed germination characteristics and biochemical traits of Pinto bean seedlings under drought stress.

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