Evaluation of morphological and biochemical variations in peas under two widespread abiotic stresses

Pea is the third most widely grown leguminous vegetable crop globally. The crop is fairly easy to grow but is salt and drought-sensitive, limiting its yield. This study aimed to explore the morphological and biochemical responses of peas under salt stress and water-deficit stress. Three pea varieties (Climax, Green grass, Meteor) were subjected to different levels [5.4 mM (Control), 50 mM, 75 mM, and 100 mM of NaCl] of salt stress. The water-deficit stress was administered by watering 100%, 75%, and 50% of field capacity. Morphological parameters showed a significant reduction under salt and water-deficit stresses in all three varieties. The highest relative water content under various levels of both stresses was 38.3% which was significantly lower than the control treatment. Chlorophyll content index (CCI) declined significantly in all three varieties, however, Climax exhibited a noteworthy CCI of 43.7 at 100 mM salt treatment, significantly higher than Green grass (25.9 CCI) and Meteor (35.9 CCI) at the same treatment. Significant accumulation of proline content was observed under both stresses, where 100 g of fresh weight of Climax showed proline content as 0.043 mg against 100 mM salt and 0.040 mg against 50% water-deficit treatments. Similar trends were recorded for water-deficit stress, indicating a shared response to both stress types. These findings provide insights into the effects of salt and water-deficit stress on pea crops, specifically focusing on the role of proline. The insights gained may aid in developing strategies to mitigate these stresses for enhanced pea crop productivity.