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Foliar proline alleviates drought stress in peppermint via consistent growth and essential oil benefits, with stress-dependent regulation of ion balance and abscisic acid

Author

Listed:
  • Abeer H. Elhakem

    (Department of Biology, College of Sciences and Humanities, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia)

  • Amira Hassan

    (Materials Engineering, German University in Cairo, New Cairo, Egypt)

Abstract

This study examined whether exogenous proline (Pro, 10 mmol/L, foliar) uniformly alleviates drought stress in peppermint (Mentha × piperita L.) or whether its benefit intensifies with increasing stress severity. Plants were grown under four water field capacity (WFC) levels (95, 75, 50, 25%), with or without Pro, in a 4 × 2 factorial randomised design. Two-way ANOVA (Levene's test confirmed homogeneous variance) partitioned each variable into WFC and Pro main effects and their interaction, followed by Tukey's HSD (P < 0.05). Water deficit reduced growth and relative water content, increased osmolytes, disrupted ionic homeostasis (higher Na+ and Na+/K+; lower K+, Ca2+, Mg2+), activated antioxidant defences, and altered hormone levels (higher abscisic acid (ABA); lower indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA3)). Pro significantly improved growth, water status, most osmolytes, antioxidants, IAA, GA3, and essential oil (EO) yield, with no significant WFC × Pro interaction detected for these variables, providing no statistically detectable evidence that the magnitude of the effect differed among WFC levels. Pro's effect on Na+, the Na+/K+ ratio, and ABA instead showed a significant WFC × Pro interaction (P = 0.040, 0.046, 0.001), intensifying under severe deficit. EO yield showed a biphasic response, rising at 75% and 50% WFC and falling at 25%, with Pro further increasing yield and menthol content. Pro thus acts mainly as a consistent protectant with no detected WFC × Pro interaction, alongside a distinct, stress-dependent role in ion and ABA regulation under severe drought.

Suggested Citation

  • Abeer H. Elhakem & Amira Hassan, 2026. "Foliar proline alleviates drought stress in peppermint via consistent growth and essential oil benefits, with stress-dependent regulation of ion balance and abscisic acid," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 72(7), pages 438-454.
    • Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlpse:v:72:y:2026:i:7:id:248-2026-pse
    DOI: 10.17221/248/2026-PSE
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Abeer Hamdy Elhakem, 2025. "Exogenous proline enhances salt tolerance in wheat: regulating osmolytes, hormonal balance, antioxidant defence, and yield performance," Plant, Soil and Environment, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 71(4), pages 278-292.
    2. Ozhuner, Esma, 2025. "Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria enhance essential oil production and antioxidant activity of Mentha piperita under water deficit stress," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 321(C).
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