The effect of ascorbate pre-treatment on tomato plant under drought stress: oxidative stress, osmolytes, phenolics and protein Print

Drought stress increases the generation of reactive oxygen species and causes membrane lipid peroxidation and damages cell membranes in the plant cells. In this study، we investigated the role of ascorbate pre-treatment in inducing tolerance to oxidative stress and improving resistance to drought stress. Drought stress reduced growth parameters، percent of water content، chlorophyll، carotenoids، protein، phenolics and phenylalanine ammonialyase activity but increased lipid peroxidation، ion leakage، lipoxygenase activity and hydrogen peroxide، total sugars، and proline levels. Pretreatment with ascorbic acid decreased lipid peroxidation، ion leakage، lipoxygenase activity، the amount of hydrogen peroxide and total sugars content but increased the amount of chlorophyll، carotenoids، protein، phenolics and phenylalanine ammonialyase activity all resulting in increased water content and improved growth parameters.