The Effect of Exogenous Copper–Quercetin Complex on Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.) Seedlings Growth under Drought Stress

Abstract

Drought is a global problem in agriculture, which reduces the productivity of plants, so it is a major environmental stress factor affecting plant metabolism and growth. Quercetin is a flavonoid with strong antioxidant properties, and it plays an important role in regulating the physiological processes in the plant. The study investigated the effect of the exogenous quercetin–copper complex (0.01, 0.05 and 0.1%) on wheat seedlings subjected to drought (30% f.w.c.). It was shown that drought stress had a negative effect on the photosynthesis process of plants. The application of spraying with a quercetin derivative caused an increase in the values of parameters in wheat plants subjected to drought stress compared to the control, which was manifested by an increase in the values of the chlorophyll fluorescence parameter, gas exchange and total antioxidant capacity. It was found that the highest dose of quercetin derivative tested (0.1%) had the best effect on plants subjected to drought stress; therefore, it is necessary to conduct further research on the use of higher doses of this flavonoid.

Keywords

• wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)
• drought stress
• quercetin derivative
• antioxidant activity
• chlorophyll content
• chlorophyll fluorescence