What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to evaluate the synergistic effects of melatonin and myo-inositol on drought resilience in apple rootstocks.

May 17, 2026BMC Plant Biology0 citationsOpen Access

Synergistic melatonin and myo-inositol application reinforces antioxidant defence, osmotic homeostasis, and membrane stability in Western Himalayan apple rootstocks under drought stress

SKShireen KhatriDr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry DSDharam Paul SharmaDr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry NSNitin SharmaDr. Yashwant Singh Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry

Key Points

This research aims to evaluate the synergistic effects of melatonin and myo-inositol on drought resilience in apple rootstocks.
Five genetically diverse apple rootstocks were tested: MM 111, MM 106, Bud 118, MM 116, and M9.
A two-phase experimental framework was used to optimize metabolite doses and evaluate their effects under drought and irrigated conditions.
The combined treatment of 100 µM melatonin and 100 µM myo-inositol was assessed for its impact on biochemical stability and stress mitigation.
The combined treatment significantly enhanced antioxidant activity and maintained chlorophyll integrity compared to untreated groups.
Drought stress increased electrolyte leakage and oxidative markers, while the optimized treatment stabilized membranes and improved osmotic balance.
Among rootstocks, Bud 118 and MM 111 showed the greatest biochemical responsiveness to the treatments.

Abstract

Drought stress induces profound biochemical and physiological disturbances in apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.), including oxidative imbalance, chlorophyll degradation, osmotic disruption, and membrane injury. This study evaluated the individual and synergistic effects of two key metabolites, melatonin (MT) and myo-inositol (MI) in enhancing drought resilience across five genetically diverse apple rootstocks (MM 111, MM 106, Bud 118, MM 116, and M9). A two-phase experimental framework was implemented, beginning with metabolite dose optimisation under 40% field capacity using the Response Index (RI) and Comprehensive Response Index (CRI). The combined application T3 (100 µM MT + 100 µM MI) consistently exhibited the lowest CRI values, indicating superior biochemical stability and stress mitigation. In Phase II, selected treatments were evaluated under drought (40% FC) and irrigated (100% FC) regimes across two seasons. Drought markedly reduced chlorophyll stability and osmolyte balance while elevating electrolyte leakage and oxidative stress markers. In contrast, the optimised combined treatment (100 µM MT + 100 µM MI) significantly enhanced antioxidant activity, maintained chlorophyll integrity, stabilised membranes, and improved osmotic regulation. Among the evaluated rootstocks, Bud 118 and MM 111 showed the highest biochemical responsiveness, reflecting a strong genotype × metabolite interaction. Overall, the results demonstrate that melatonin and myo-inositol act synergistically to fortify antioxidant defences and mitigate drought-induced biochemical injury. Collectively, this study demonstrates that targeted metabolite application, when strategically integrated with genetically drought-tolerant rootstocks, offers a scientifically robust and practically deployable framework for reinforcing biochemical stability, safeguarding photosynthetic function, and sustaining apple productivity under escalating drought scenarios in the North-Western Himalayan region.

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