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<p>Drought is one the most severe environmental stresses affecting plant productivity, and the intensification of heat wave episodes has further made crop production more vulnerable by limiting plant growth. Melatonin is an extensively-studied hormone playing important roles in stress tolerance. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely recognized for enhancing plant health and metabolism. This study evaluated the potential of combined application of melatonin (100&#xa0;µM) and AMF to enhance combined stress tolerance of drought and high temperature in two tomato varieties: Vellayani Vijai (tolerant) and Arka Vikas (susceptible). Results show that application of melatonin or AMF significantly decreased the negative effects of combined stress (total dry matter, photosynthetic rate, leaf membrane thermostability, pollen viability, proline, malondialdehyde content, catalase and phenyl ammonia lyase activity, fruit yield, total soluble solids, lycopene and fruit shelf life). Co application of melatonin and AMF had an additive effect and further attributed to stress tolerance with the largest increase in growth, biochemical, yield and quality parameters in both the varieties. Expression of key genes—<i>SUT1, HSP17.4, ASR4</i> and <i>LYCβ</i> were significantly altered under melatonin + AMF treatment, indicating broad transcriptional reprogramming affecting sugar transport, heat shock response, osmotic regulation and carotenoid metabolism. These effects are expected to aid in enhancing drought and high temperature tolerance in tomato. Overall, the combined application of melatonin and mycorrhizal fungi could improve photosynthesis and membrane stability. Accumulation of protective molecules and triggering antioxidant activity resulted in higher yield and quality of tomato fruits under combined stress.</p>

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Enhancing Drought and High Temperature Tolerance in Tomato Through Combined Application of Melatonin and Mycorrhizal Fungi

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年5月18日

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  • S. M. Simhi Samyukta,
  • M. M. Viji,
  • R. V. Manju,
  • R. Beena,
  • Smitha Bhasi,
  • S. Sarada

摘要

Drought is one the most severe environmental stresses affecting plant productivity, and the intensification of heat wave episodes has further made crop production more vulnerable by limiting plant growth. Melatonin is an extensively-studied hormone playing important roles in stress tolerance. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are widely recognized for enhancing plant health and metabolism. This study evaluated the potential of combined application of melatonin (100 µM) and AMF to enhance combined stress tolerance of drought and high temperature in two tomato varieties: Vellayani Vijai (tolerant) and Arka Vikas (susceptible). Results show that application of melatonin or AMF significantly decreased the negative effects of combined stress (total dry matter, photosynthetic rate, leaf membrane thermostability, pollen viability, proline, malondialdehyde content, catalase and phenyl ammonia lyase activity, fruit yield, total soluble solids, lycopene and fruit shelf life). Co application of melatonin and AMF had an additive effect and further attributed to stress tolerance with the largest increase in growth, biochemical, yield and quality parameters in both the varieties. Expression of key genes—SUT1, HSP17.4, ASR4 and LYCβ were significantly altered under melatonin + AMF treatment, indicating broad transcriptional reprogramming affecting sugar transport, heat shock response, osmotic regulation and carotenoid metabolism. These effects are expected to aid in enhancing drought and high temperature tolerance in tomato. Overall, the combined application of melatonin and mycorrhizal fungi could improve photosynthesis and membrane stability. Accumulation of protective molecules and triggering antioxidant activity resulted in higher yield and quality of tomato fruits under combined stress.