Effects of foliar application of tryptophan on physiological and biochemical traits of Madagascar periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus L.) under different drought stress levels

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D. student of Crop Physiology, Department of Production Engineering and Genetic Modification, Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran

2 Professor of the Department of Production Engineering and Genetic Modification, Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran

3 Associate Professor, Department of Production Engineering and Genetic Modification, Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Department of Production Engineering and Genetic Modification, Faculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran

5 Resources Assistant Professor, Department of water engineering, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Iran

6 Department of Production Engineering and Plant Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lorestan University, Khoramabad, Lorestan, Iran

Abstract

Introduction
Medicinal plants are valuable sources of bioactive compounds with therapeutic properties and play an important role in the pharmaceutical and medical industries. Catharanthus roseus L., commonly known as periwinkle, is a well‑known medicinal plant native to Madagascar and widely distributed in tropical regions. This species is particularly valued for producing important alkaloids such as vincristine and vinblastine, which are widely used in the treatment of cancers including leukemia and lymphoma. In addition, C. roseus contains phenolic and antioxidant compounds that contribute to its tolerance to environmental stresses. Drought stress is a major constraint in agriculture, particularly in arid and semi arid regions, and can lead to reduced growth and various physiological and biochemical changes in periwinkle plants. Under such conditions, the application of the amino acid tryptophan may enhance plant tolerance and mitigate the adverse effects of drought stress. Tryptophan acts as a precursor in the biosynthesis of plant hormones such as auxin and plays an important role in regulating plant growth and responses to environmental stresses. Considering the importance of C. roseus in the pharmaceutical industry and the negative effects of drought stress on its growth and performance, this study aimd to evaluate the effects of different levels of tryptophan and drought stress on selected physiological and biochemical traits of this plant. The findings of this study may provide useful strategies for improving the growth and performance of periwinkle under drought stress conditions.
 
Materials and methods
The experiment was conducted in 2023 at the University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources of Khuzestan, Iran. The experiment was arranged as a factorial based on a completely randomized design with three replications. The experimental factors included different concentrations of tryptophan (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 mg L⁻¹) and three levels of drought stress (control, mild, and severe). Tryptophan was applied at two growth stages: the eight‑leaf stage and the beginning of flowering.
 
Results and discussion
Mean comparison showed that increasing tryptophan concentration up to 250 mg L⁻¹ significantly enhanced plant dry weight, relative leaf water content, membrane stability, and catalase and peroxidase activities under severe drought stress (p ≤ 0.01). In addition, antioxidant capacity and total protein content significantly increased (p ≤ 0.05). The results also showed that all measured traits, except membrane stability, improved at tryptophan concentrations of 200 and 250 mg L⁻¹. In contrast, severe drought stress significantly reduced plant dry weight, total protein content, membrane stability, and leaf relative water content compared with the control treatment.
 
Conclusion
The application of tryptophan at appropriate concentrations (200 and 250 mg L⁻¹) may alleviate the adverse effects of drought stress and enhance the growth and performance of the medicinal plant C. roseus. These findings highlight the potential of growth‑promoting compounds such as tryptophan to improve plant performance under environmental stress conditions.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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Environmental Stresses in Crop Sciences

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Available Online from 02 May 2026

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  • Receive Date: 22 February 2025
  • Revise Date: 25 April 2025
  • Accept Date: 03 May 2025

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