Chitosan nanoparticles improve physiological and biochemical responses of Salvia abrotanoides (Kar.) under drought stress

Abstract

Highlights • Foliar application of CNPs can improves drought tolerance. • Leaves showed a high antioxidant enzyme activity under drought stress using CNPs. • Biochemicals varied by drought stress levels and CNPs concentrations. • The highest and the lowest stomatal density and aperture size, respectively were observed in the plants treated with CNPs under drought stress.

Keywords

• Antioxidant enzymes
• Biochemical responses
• Chitosan nanoparticles
• Drought stress
• Salvia abrotanoides
• Water deficit