EFFECT OF SALICYLIC ACID AND ABSCISIC ACID ON MORPHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL AND ANATOMICAL CHARACTERS OF FABA BEAN PLANTS (Vicia faba L.) UNDER DROUGHT STRESS

Two pot experiments were carried out during the two winter seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 under greenhouse conditions at the Department of Agricultural Botany, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafrelsheikh University, Egypt to investigate the influence of salicylic acid (1 mM) and abscisic acid (0.1 mM) on morpho-physiological characters and anatomical structure as well as yield characters of faba bean plants under drought stress. As a result of stress only, all studied morphological and anatomical characters as well as chlorophyll concentrations and yield components were decreased, whereas, electrolyte leakage was increased under drought stress. However, application of salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid (ABA) under drought stress significantly improved or increased all the mentioned characters except electrolyte leakage which was decreased. Application of SA and ABA under drought stress enhanced the anatomical characters of faba bean stem and leaflets, for instance, stem diameter, number of vessels/bundle in stem as well as leaf lamina thickness and average diameter of xylem vessel. Accordingly, the exogenous application of SA and ABA lead to minimize the harmful effect of drought stress and improve the morpho-physiological characters, stem and leaflets anatomy as well as yield components of faba bean plants even under drought stress.