Morphophysiological and Biochemical Characteristics of Local Rice MSP 17 to Different Durations of PEG-Induced Drought Stress

Abstract

Drought stress is one of the main factors that hinder rice crop productivity. Drought stress limits the availability of water to plants, causing them to undergo morphological, physiological, and biochemical changes. Changes in the morphological characteristics of plants, such as plant height, number of roots, and root length. From a physiological perspective, water stress can reduce chlorophyll levels, increase carotenoid levels, increase electrolyte leakage, and decrease plants' relative water content. Meanwhile, from a biochemical perspective, drought stress can trigger changes in proline content, the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These changes indicate that plant responses to drought are not only related to physical growth but also involve adjustments to physiological functions and metabolic processes to ensure the plants survival. The extent of the impact of drought stress on plants depends on the duration of exposure. The longer plants are subjected to water stress, the greater the likelihood of change in their morphology, physiology, and biochemistry, although these responses may vary depending on the plant’s genetic characteristics and adaptive capabilities. Short-term stress can trigger an initial response to water limitations, while longer-lasting stress has the potential to cause greater disruption to water balance, photosynthesis, growth, and plant metabolism. Therefore, observations over various stress durations are necessary to understand the patterns of plant responses to drought over time. The method used in this study to investigate plant responses to drought stress involved the use of polyethylene glicol (PEG). In this study, PEG-induced drought stress was applied for durations of 2, 4, 8, 16 days to evaluate changes in the response of the local rice variety MSP 17 to the duration of stress exposure. It is hoped that these differences in duration will provide insight into the plant's initial response, the changes that occur during the stress period, and the possibility of more severe disturbances occurring during longer treatment periods. Simultaneous observation of morphological, physiological, and biochemical characteristics is necessary to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the response of the local rice MSP 17 to water stress.