Characterization of Drought Responsive Genes in Tomato Genotype(s) Under Drought Stress Conditions

Abstract

Tomatoes are widely consumed worldwide as a horticultural crop. Abiotic stresses limit crop production on a global scale, and drought poses significant challenges to food security. Crop productivity and growth are affected by drought, one of the most important factors that impact plant morphology, at physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. In drought response, a complex signaling network leads to gene upregulation. DERB (Dehydration Responsive Element Binding) transcription factors play a vital role in crop development and stress-responsive pathways. This study aims to assess the impact of drought on various aspects of tomato plants, including morphological traits (plant height, root length, shoot length, number of branches), physiological traits (root/shoot length, leaf area, relative water content, SPAD value), and biochemical traits (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, catalase, ascorbate peroxidase, malondialdehyde content), along with gene expression. The results confirmed significant variations in these parameters for Solanum l. x. T-1359 under both drought and well water conditions. Notably, the expression of DERB3 and DERB4 significantly increased under drought stress. The results confirmed that there are significant variations in agronomic, physiological, and biochemical parameters Solanum l. x. T-1359 under drought and well-water conditions. A significant increase in DREB3 expression was observed under drought stress conditions, with a relative fold change of 14.62 and 6.67 in the leaf and 9.09 and 6.04 in the root when compared to control conditions on the 7th and 14th days, respectively. The expression of DREB4 also increased significantly under drought stress conditions, with a relative fold change of 14.62 and 6.67 in the leaf, and 9.09 and 6.04 in the root, respectively, when compared with the control condition on the 7th and 14th days.. The performance of Solanum l. x T-1359 used in the study showed significant differences in all studied traits. Moreover, By collectively delving into morphological, physiological, and biochemical facets, employing advanced methodologies, and focusing on DERB3 and DERB4, a promising avenue emerges for the enhancement of current tomato cultivars or for the meticulous screening of drought-resistant tomato genotypes.