Morphological Responses of Trigonella foenum-graecum L. to Drought Stress and Salicylic Acid Treatment

Abstract

Drought stress is a critical abiotic factor with profound implications on crop growth and productivity. This study aimed to investigate the morphological responses of Trigonella foenum-graecum (fenugreek) under varying levels of drought stress and foliar applications of salicylic acid (SA) at different stages of its life cycle. Morphological parameters, including shoot length, root length, fresh and dry weights of the whole plant, fruit length, number of seeds per fruit, and fresh and dry weights of fruits, were examined. Our findings revealed significant morphological changes in fenugreek in response to drought stress, leading to reduced shoot length, fruit length, number of seeds per fruit, and the fresh and dry weights of both the whole plant and fruits as water deficit severity increased. Application of SA had improved the fruit dry weight as compared to the untreated plants.