Alleviating Effect of Exogenous Methionine on Growth and Antioxidant Defense of Mechanisms Pepper Seedlings Under Drought Stress

Year 2025, Volume: 6 Issue: 4, 217 - 225, 30.12.2025

Melike Pek , Ertan Yıldırım , Melek Ekinci

https://doi.org/10.56430/japro.1746243

Abstract

This study aimed to reduce the negative effects of drought stress on pepper seedlings by methionine application. In the experiment, which was organized according to the randomized plots experimental design as a pot study, two different irrigation levels (100% and 60% field capacity) and different methionine (M0: 0 mg/L (control), M10: 10 mg/L and M20: 20 mg/L) doses were applied to pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) seedlings. In the study, the effects of the applications on morphological parameters, chlorophyll content, antioxidant enzyme activities, and stress markers were evaluated. According to the findings, drought stress caused negative effects on plant development in pepper seedlings. However, methionine applications alleviated these effects. Although the effectiveness varied according to the methionine application dose, it was determined that both doses gave positive results in different parameters. In drought conditions, methionine applications increased plant growth and antioxidant enzyme levels and strengthened the plant's defense responses. As a result, it was determined that the negativities caused by water restriction in pepper seedlings were alleviated by methionine application and thus provided positive contributions at the morphological and physiological levels in pepper seedlings.

Keywords

Antioxidant enzyme activity , Drought stress , Methionine application , Pepper seedling

Ethical Statement

This study does not require ethical committee approval.

Thanks

This study includes the results of Melike PEK's master's thesis.

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