Sindhu S. Abraham’s research while affiliated with Annamalai University and other places

For the past several years, several techniques of physiology have been applied to overcome the water deficit and drought stress in field crops. However little information is gained on the response to PBZ and ABA treatments under drought stress and their ameliorative actions on Sesamum. So a study was carried out to understand the effect of PBZ and ABA on drought stress amelioration in Sesamum indicum L. The main aspects studied were the non-enzymatic antioxidant changes in different parts of treated, drought stressed as well as control plants. The non-enzymatic antioxidants (ascorbic acid and tocopherol) were extracted and estimated. The non-enzymatic antioxidant molecules like ascorbate and α-tocopherol showed significant increase under drought condition in Sesamum indicum. PBZ caused significant enhancement in thes e antioxidant enzymes under drought stress and also in well-watered conditions. It is not so with ABA treatment. ABA slightly reduced the non-enzymatic antioxidant contents. From the results, it can be concluded that, these growth regulators are better suited as stress ameliorating agents in gingelly.